Death and Rebirth
by Twinsnake Coatl
Summary: Once guided by Chibi-Usa, Tomoe Hotaru must now become the light for another one who is lost among the dark, the avatar of vengeance, the Crow.
1. Death and Rebirth 1

****

Death and Rebirth

By Twinsnake

This fanfic is based on both the Anime and Manga "Sailor Moon" (slightly more on the anime) and the original Crow movie, starring the late Brandon Lee. I'd like the Crow part to be more based on the comic books. But I haven't got the chance to read it yet. If anyone can help, many thanks.

This story takes place approximately two years after "Sailor Moon Stars". The inner senshi are 18 years old, the outers are 20 (I believe they're two years older) and Hotaru is apparently 14. Technically she's three, (enhanced growth remember?). This is my first fanfic so don't expect too much. Anyway I hope you enjoy it.

Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon, created by Naoko Takeuchi.

The Crow, created by James O'Barr.

Prologue:

Tokyo Shinagawa district, the waterfront:

The darkness was so intense that it could be felt trough all the senses. The sea and sky were eerily calm, but the sound of thunder was a herald to the upcoming storm. Not a soul was at the port that night; there was no one to be seen. A blinding flash of lightning and suddenly there was a figure present. The figure was male; he was all hunched over, soaked and shivering from the autumn chill. Had there been any witnesses, they would be wondering how this person had appeared out of nowhere, but no human eye was present, only avian.

Chapter One:

Hotaru couldn't help but scold herself when she heard the thunder roar. _Why didn't I bring an umbrella like Setsuna-mama told me?_ She sighed; Hotaru was having a really bad week. It was about two years after the senshi's confrontation with Sailor Galaxy. And life, outside of the occasional daimon, was getting pretty much back to normal. Everybody was getting on with his or her lives. Ami was in medical school, Minako started working at a local theater, Rei was doing great at the temple and Mamoru and Usagi were happily married. Mamoru was in his senior year and Usagi was doing quite well in college, surviving at least. Everyone had things looking up for them. Only Hotaru was having a bit of a hard time. She was doing well in life, her talents at poetry and music helped her obtain admiration from her teachers, and recently she had developed an affinity towards drawing. She giggled; Michiru-mama was really looking forward to having another musician in the family. The problem was that her abilities also intimidated her classmates a bit. They still avoided her, but at least they didn't reject her like before. Yesterday she had been invited to a party, it was more out of cordiality than friendship, but Hotaru accepted gladly. The food was tasty, and the music was good, she even had a minor conversation or two. But she grew tired all too quickly, everybody hardly knew her and vice-versa, so she decided to leave. Hotaru heard the thunder again and looked up as a raindrop hit her forehead, she let out a sarcastic laugh –_The perfect end for a perfect day_.

Hotaru started running; Makoto's place was nearby. Maybe she could spend the night there considering how late it was already. She was distracted with these thoughts when all of a sudden something or someone ran into her. "What the?" Hotaru quickly went into a defensive stance. There on the floor she saw a boy a little older than her, laying on the floor in fetal position, shaking like a leaf. "What's wrong with you? Have you been drinking?" Hotaru asked as she reached over to the stranger. The moment she touched him her eyes went wide. "Kuso, you're freezing!" she was so upset that she hadn't noticed all he was wearing were his pants, nor noticed his pale complexion. She pulled out her cell-phone and called a hospital, the guy was about to die from hypothermia! And her powers could only heal open wounds. After notifying the authorities, Hotaru went over to the boy and held him close in order to get him warm. She heard him mumble something in what she figured out to be Spanish:

"_Mamá, papá, Carmela_…"

She then noticed a bracelet around his left wrist; it had letters, which read C-A-R-L-O-S. Hotaru turned to see Carlos' face, he looked so lost. "Hang in there Carlos, help is coming."

Juban Central hospital:

Hotaru sat in the waiting room as she filled out the paperwork. It's amazing just how far bureaucracy goes. She was about to throw away all those useless forms when she heard a familiar voice; "Looks like you could use a warm drink, ne?" She looked up and saw Ami holding up a cup of coffee. She had been working part-time in the hospital for a few weeks now.

"Arigato," Hotaru said. Ami sat down next to her.

"So who's the victim?" she asked.

"I really don't know," Hotaru answered. "He ran into me as I was leaving the party. At first I thought I was under attack, but when I saw him I knew that he needed help."

Ami's face went blank. "You just stayed there with him!? Suppose it was a ruse or that he was meant to distract you."

"It wasn't like that!" Hotaru retorted. "You weren't there Ami, the guy was practically ice and that look in his face," she paused, "he seemed so…"

Ami kept silent, she knew that it took a lot to frighten the senshi of death and rebirth. Finally Ami broke the silence. "You're lucky that Haruka and Michiru are not back from Monaco yet."

Hotaru smiled. "Yeah, well Setsuna-mama can more than make up for them." Both girls laughed and went on to other topics.

A man walked into the hospital lobby; he was about five feet tall, bald and had the appearance of a movie thug. If anyone had dared look into his eyes, they would tell that he was up to no good. As he walked into the hospital a nurse at reception stopped him. "Excuse me sir. May I ask where you're going?"

The bald guy turned to her and showed a ring he was wearing. "Just come over to see me old chum luv, you know Ah come here every week or so."

The nurse's eyes went blank for a moment and the shook her head. "Yes…of course sir, go right ahead." Baldy smiled and went on his way.

In a hospital room, a young man who Hotaru had identified as Carlos laid on the bed. His temperature was near to normal, so the doctors left him alone. He appeared to be sound asleep when his eyes went open suddenly; he took a quick glance at his surroundings then got up and went towards the door as if there was nothing wrong. He'd felt something, he didn't know what, but he knew that there was someone he had to meet, who had to pay. At the window, a crow stood silent vigil over his ward.

The bald man stood in an empty corridor and fished something out of his pocket; it looked something like an egg. "Okay pretty, you go play while dah gets some work done." He left the egg on the floor and went off, while it started to steer and cracked. Something started to come out and it wasn't good.

"So you got bored huh?" said Ami.

"Hai," Hotaru answered with a sigh. "I guess if you plan to go to a party you should know a few people at least."

"You really should keep your mind on other things," Ami said. "You know that a high IQ isn't good alone in an aptitude test."

Hotaru rolled her eyes. Some things just didn't change; she was about to retort when…

"MONSTER!!"

Both looked up to see a doctor run into the room. "There's a monster in the hospital!" Ami and Hotaru looked at each other and nodded. They ran over to find a place with no witnesses and when they did…

"Mercury/Saturn crisis power, make up!"

A flash of color and Sailors Mercury and Saturn appeared. They ran off to find this daimon, hoping to be there on time.

The bald man was now at a supplies closet trying to figure out a complicated gizmo he'd brought along. "Cor! Ah really hope this gadget 'ere is worth all the trouble," he said as he heard the screaming downstairs. Finally he managed to set the damn thing in place and was about to leave when he heard a quite frightening voice.

"'Ello Willy." Willy turned around to see a teen standing at the door. He wore hospital pajamas, his skin was deathly white and his hair hid most of his face.

Willy was quick to recover from his initial scare. "I don't know who the bloody hell you are boy, but you better be gettin' out of me way if you know what's good for ye." The teen just stood there as if he hadn't heard him. "Are ye makin' fun o' me boy?" Silence. Now Willy, is a man with a very short fuse; he cocked his arm and threw a punch at the boy, who had his hand already waiting to intercept. Before Willy knew what happened, he heard the bones in his wrist crack, and before he could feel the pain, he was thrown over as if he was a rag doll. Willy crashed into the wall and fell. He looked up towards his attacker, who kept a calm demeanor. "What, what did I do to ye?"

The youth spoke again. "I don't remember…yet."

Mercury and Saturn had finally caught up to the daimon. They found it in an empty O.R. The good news was that the daimon seemed more interested in trashing the place than hurting people; the bad news was they were facing something like a giant green cockroach.

"Right now I think I'd prefer taking on Gojira on my own," Mercury remarked as she saw the bug.

"Take a number; let's get that thing." Saturn charged first, swinging her glaive. The daimon tried to evade but was too slow; Hotaru made a slash in its exoskeleton. It seemed as little more than a dent, but from its scream, she knew she'd done some damage. The insect-daimon stepped back and sized up its opponent, who was now in a ready to attack stance. It took a look at Saturn's weapon. It raised its front legs and grew shears like a mantis.

Saturn smiled. _Seems that I'm in for an interesting match_. Both opponents charged and engaged in deadly combat. True, Saturn was weak physically, but her dexterity with her weapon made her a formidable opponent. Mercury, meanwhile was keeping her distance as she wasn't much good in hand-to-hand combat, so she went on to use her real strength, namely strategy.

The boy started walking slowly toward Willy. Willy knew the look he saw on the kid's face, he'd given it to others many times before, murder. He was lifted up by the collar of his jacket, Willy closed his eyes and prepared for the worse, suddenly he was dropped. He opened his eyes to see the teenager holding his head and shaking. He didn't know what was going on and he didn't care all he knew was that he had to take this chance. He ran, leaving a shaking boy behind.

His head became flooded with images the minute he lifted Willy. He saw him beating up a man who was already badly bruised. More images and sound came, he saw a woman and her daughter crying, as their bodies were violated, he heard screams, pleading and sadistic laughter. When he finally opened his eyes Willy was gone, no matter, he didn't know how he did it, but if he found him once he could find him again. He went off to find his prey.

Mercury assessed the situation. She had to find a way to get the insect-daimon outside. True, there had been no casualties yet, but she couldn't afford the chance. Since the battle had moved outside of the room, she took a look at her new surroundings and saw a window down a corridor that was behind the beast; Mercury came up with a plan to compensate. Saturn, in the meantime, had her hands full with the mantis-roach. She had taken a few cuts during the fight, nothing serious, but the had also managed to hurt the daimon a bit more; however, neither of the two were gaining the upper hand. There was a pause in the action while both fighters were trying to figure out their next move.

Saturn was just ready for a new round, when she heard, "Saturn, duck!" She had just gotten down when she saw a waterspout flying over her head, slamming into the daimon. The beast was thrown through the corridor and out the window. Both senshi ran over and looked out the hole it had made, expecting to find the bug splattered; instead the daimon popped up from below, fluttering. It was expecting to catch its opponents off-guard, but Mercury had anticipated the wings.

"Shabon spray, freezing!" The beast felt its wing harden and gravity pulling down on it. A large sweat drop ran down the side of its face. The senshi saw the thing crash down in the parking lot, but they knew it would survive that.

"Let's finish it," Saturn said as she jumped down, Mercury closely following.

Willy emerged on the rooftop, looked at the sky anxiously and then at his watch. "Where the bloody 'ell is he?" He started walking when he caught a glimpse of the ground far bellow and stepped back terrified, acrophobia setting in. He'd been a little reluctant about being picked up at the hospital rooftop, but the others said, "Keep away from the edge, you'll be fine." This would have been true, if someone else hadn't come up with him.

"Nowhere to run to, Willy; all you can do now is pay." Willy turned; it was still that crazy kid. Before he could do anything, he grabbed him and threw him over around the floor. Willy tried to defend himself, but his right hand was broken and anyway, he was too slow for this opponent. Willy was punched, kicked and slapped all around, being drawn closer and closer to the edge.

When Willy noticed what was going on he pleaded, "No please, get me down from here."

"Scared to fall are we?" the teen mocked. "Maybe you shouldn't have come up here in the first place."

To say that Willy was scared would be an understatement. "Please, you said I didn't do anything to ye, so let me go okay?"

"Wrong!" The teen's voice had taken an infernal register. "You hurt me, hurt my family, and now you and your friends will pay!"

Willy's eyes suddenly went open with recognition. "That's impossible, you are…"

Down at the parking lot, the battle between senshi and daimon kept going. Saturn and Mercury were about to beat the thing when it drew another card out of its sleeve, or rather, mouth. The beast started spitting acid! Saturn was barely able to leap out of the line of fire.

"This daimon seems to have every insect characteristic that is useful in battle," Mercury stated.

Saturn was getting quite annoyed. "Lots of help that is! If only I could get a clear shot!" The daimon kept spitting at the senshi; it wasn't really aiming at them. It was firing randomly in order to keep its foes at bay. Neither side could do anything to break this stalemate, that is until…

"Sparking Wide Pressure!"

Suddenly there was a flash of electricity, striking the creature's back. Saturn didn't hesitate; the moment it got distracted, she leapt up and slashed at the thing's neck. One split second later, the head fell right at her feet. Catching her breath, Saturn looked up at the newcomer, "How did you know where to find us Jupiter?"

Jupiter gave a smile. "I just followed the signal you guys were sending, no big deal."

Saturn turned over to look at Mercury who was holding up her mini-computer. "Pays off to pause before you charge, you know." Saturn was about to say something, but kept quiet.

Jupiter then noted something peculiar on the daimon. There was a whirlpool mark on its forehead. "Hey guys, what do you think this is?" The other two where about to look when they heard a scream over their heads. Looking up, they saw someone falling down from the building.

"Ara…Shabon spray!" The bubbles caught the person and slowly lowered him to the floor. Mercury rushed over to administer first aid, the others close behind. The fallen person was Willy. His face was all bloody, but there were no fatal wounds, apparently.

"How is he?" Jupiter asked.

Mercury checked. "No pulse." She started CPR but got no response, finally after a few tries she gave up. "He's gone…" she said, sorrow in her voice. Saturn looked at his face; it looked as though he'd seen something terrifying. "There's nothing we can do for him now, let's report this to the authorities and leave." The other senshi nodded.

As they were leaving, Saturn heard a noise overhead; it seemed to be wings flapping. She looked up and managed to see a person standing on the edge of the building. Probably the one who pushed this one! Without a word she leapt towards him.

"Saturn?" Jupiter called out to her teammate. "She must have seen something." Both she and Mercury followed.

On the rooftop, Saturn found a dark figure leaning by the stairwell. "Hold it right there, mister. You've got a lot to answer for." Her threat was ignored; he just turned around the corner and hid from her view. "Hey!" Saturn ran after him, but when she turned the corner she found, no one. He'd just disappeared into thin air. She looked around, she was too far from the edges, and even so, he wouldn't have just jumped. Unless it wasn't a person. Saturn sighed and went to her friends, who were looking at something on the floor.

"Found something?" Mercury asked.

"Only shadows apparently."

"Well we found something as bit more useful," Jupiter said as she pointed downwards, "check this out."

Saturn did. On the floor, painted with blood, was the silhouette of a bird. A crow, judging by the beak.

The trio sighed; things were about to get complicated for the senshi, again.

On the rooftop of a building near the hospital, a lone figure stood, male with an athletic build. He reached into his pocket and took out a sort of device. "Paul reporting." He waited until the static was replaced by a response.

"_What is the situation?_"

"As you predicted, Sir, there was senshi intervention. This didn't stop the mission from being accomplished, though."

"_Any losses?_"

Paul took time to recollect. "The drone was destroyed, Sir, and it seems that Willy took a nasty spill from the roof."

There was a pause. "_That is a terrible shame. That prototype drone took a lot to create, not to mention the loss of an expensive hypno-ring._" Paul couldn't help but shudder a bit at his superior's indifference. "_Return to base, nothing else left to do_."

"Yes, Sir," Paul responded. As he turned to leave, the moonlight reflected on a decoration on his jacket, a metal whirlpool.

Down in a dark alley, Carlos sat with his head between his hands. Why did he push the guy? And why was he so angry? All he knew was, he wanted revenge. It wasn't clear yet what for, but he would get it.

"Caw!"

Carlos looked up and saw a crow looking down on him, almost as if he wanted to tell him something. "I suppose you now what the hell is going on, huh?" The crow gave a few hops then looked over its shoulder at Carlos. "You want me to follow you?" The bird merely turned away and flew. Carlos took a deep breath "_Okay, tú eres el jefe._" Just as he was starting to walk, something caught his eye. He came closer to take a better look. It was the poster for a kabuki show. As he saw the painted faces, an image came to his mind, something that would help in his mission. Looking up to find his feathered companion, he went on his way.

Outer senshi's manor:

The senshi arranged for a meeting the next day. The whirlpool symbol that Jupiter had noted raised certain suspicions, not to mention what might have been a murder. Everybody was present, except for Haruka and Michiru who wouldn't be back from Monaco for a few more days; and Rei, who was late. Finally Rei arrived and the meeting started. Hotaru related the whole incident at the hospital, trying to point out every single detail.

"What seemed curious," said Ami, "was that this daimon didn't seem to have any magic supporting it. Almost as if it was a natural creation."

"As if it had been genetically engineered, you mean," Setsuna pointed out. Ami nodded.

"Terrific!" Usagi said, mournfully. "Two years of peace and quiet, and now we have to face a mad scientist."

Mamoru leaned over to his wife. "Usako…"

"I'm okay, just a little disappointed. It finally seemed that it was all over," Usagi said with a sigh.

There was a brief period of silence and Makoto was the one to break it. "Ami, did you find out what killed the murder victim?"

Ami hesitated a bit, "Hai. It seemed that he died of a heart attack. That fall literally scared him to death."

"Isn't it the sudden halt at the end what's supposed to kill you instead of the fall?"

"MINAKO!" Everyone turned over to scold the blonde.

Minako cowered. "Gomen."

"Anyway," Ami continued, "the forensics officer found the same whirlpool symbol on the victim's jacket. It's obvious that he's the one who sent the daimon."

Mamoru spoke, "And while you two were fighting the daimon, he was probably going through the hospital doing the dirty work. Classic."

"And we have to find out exactly what it is he was doing," Usagi pointed out. "Ami, you check that out okay?"

"Hai, Usagi-chan," Ami answered.

"There's still one other thing," Makoto pointed out. "Who pushed that guy from the roof?"

"Well, the drawing we found is a clue," Hotaru pointed out, "and I'm certain that I saw someone up there. Do you think we should investigate this further?"

Usagi was about to answer, but Mamoru beat her to it. "We'll leave that case to the police. I don't believe that should concern us, for now."

Hotaru got up from her seat. "Well, if we're done here, I have to pay a visit to the hospital."

"Why?" Setsuna asked.

"I have to check on Carlos," she answered. "I want to make sure he's all right after what happened."

Usagi and Minako switched into interrogation mode, another thing that would not change. "Carlos who?" they asked.

"Just someone I helped last night," Hotaru said in a defensive tone. "I don't even know him." Before the two blondes could pester her further, she rushed for the door.

"Hime-chan."

Hotaru cringed at the voice. "Hai, Setsuna-mama."

"We still have to talk about this Carlos person."

Hotaru sighed. "Hai." With that she was gone.

Mamoru walked up to Setsuna and placed his hand on her shoulder. "You knew this would come up, whether you saw it in the timeline or not."

Setsuna nodded. "I know. It's never easy for parents to see their children grow up."

Unknown location:

The place was practically empty. One table with five chairs around it, one of which would no longer have an occupant. There was a lamp overhead and a birdcage in one corner with a mottled gray-and-black pigeon inside.

Two people sat at the table. One of them had short black hair and had a look on his face that read: 'Don't talk to me'. The other had long red hair and kept a grin that indicated he found everything funny, meaning everything. Both were wearing black pants, boots and leather jackets, and on their shirt over their left breast you could see a whirlpool symbol. They were keeping themselves busy emptying a bottle of scotch, the one with black hair was talking about something that seemed important, but the redhead was up in the clouds. When he noticed, his frown got even more frightening.

"Hey Blaze! Did you hear a word I said?"

Blaze turned over to look at his companion, "Wha? Uh, yeah. You were…saying what a great guy the boss is. That's a mighty fine thing, Chris."

Chris grumbled, "I said, weird. And I would never say anything positive about that freak."

Blaze's countenance got perplexed. "What's up with you lately? When we all started this job you were fine and now you're getting all paranoid about who the boss is."

Chris calmed down a bit but kept frowning. "For starters, I was never fine." He looked at Blaze in the eye, and commented, "Didn't you ever stop to wonder who the boss really is? He gets five insane murderers out of jail, trains us to be better killers, lets us do what we like and keeps us clean, and all we have to do to repay him is be loyal and kill an occasionally choice victim." He sighed and added, "And now he's coming up with ideas to rule the world, gives us these weird gizmos and super bug monsters."

Blaze merely nodded. "Okay, so maybe the boss is some kind of mad scientist, but hey, we got a good life and get to do what we like. So why complain?"

Chris just shook his head. Trying to talk about something serious with Blaze was a lost cause. Blaze was about to relate his most recent exploits when two people came into the room. One was a woman, long black hair and mocha skin, with a very inviting figure. The other was a black man with short hair and a few dreadlocks hanging in the back of his head. His muscular build indicated he was some sort of street tough. Both wore the same black uniform as the others, only the female had altered hers a bit to show some of her 'talent'.

Blaze turned over to greet the newcomers. "Well, if it isn't chaste little Kara and Birdman Paul."

Paul just ignored him and headed over to the birdcage. "Blaze, I've had a very long day and I'm really not in the mood for your jokes."

"And what time is anybody in the mood for him?" said Chris. "So Paul, is it true what we heard about Willy?"

Paul nodded as he petted his pigeon. "It's all true. Our companion Willy is with us no more. He is liberated from our painful existence"

"Yeah, well good riddance," said Kara. "I never did like the guy. And that accent was just too fake. What was he supposed to be, British?"

"Actually it was more like Irish," Paul corrected.

Blaze gave a perplexed look. "European? I thought he was one of the 'Beverly Hillbillies'."

Chris grumbled. "Blaze, just shut your trap. By the way, Kara, you didn't report last night. Where were you exactly?"

Kara walked over in a suggestive manner. "I could tell you where," her voice then took a more seductive tone, "but it's not as interesting as showing you what I was doing."

"Careful Chris! You don't know where that's been!" Blaze quipped.

Kara was about to break open the bottle of scotch on his head when a new voice was heard: "If you are all quite done, we do have business to take care of." Everyone turned their sights to a door that had been previously hidden. On the threshold stood the leader of this outfit. A six-foot tall man with a strong build and long unkempt black hair. He wore a black cloak and a medal depicting the group's insignia. As soon as he entered the room everyone stood up, more out of fear than respect. The man looked over his subordinates and spoke. "As you know; we have lost one teammate, so I'm afraid that some double shifts will have to be pulled from now on."

"Excuse me, Sir," Paul interrupted.

"Yes Paul, what is it?"

Paul hesitated as he held his pigeon closer, "Um, aren't you the least bit concerned about the senshi? They defeated the drone and might be able to find us because of the insignia."

The leader nodded. "Paul, the senshi would have found out about us sooner or later. The drones will keep them distracted while we do our work. Willy should have known better than taking an assassin prototype though."

"Yes, Sir, but what about Willy? We all know he would never go near the ledge by his own will. He was pushed over, and it had to be someone strong to do that."

"That's right," Blaze added. "Even Paul here often had a hard time arm-wrestling with the stiff. Hey boss, do you think it might have been those broads who pushed him?" Kara gave Blaze a killer look for that comment.

The leader took his time before answering, "No, Blaze, that isn't the senshi's style. And as for whom it was, well, that hospital has a psychiatric wing, so it was probably a patient who's back in his room by now." Everyone nodded, but only Chris looked doubtful.

"And do you really believe that, Allen?" Everyone turned in surprise. Up until now, only Kara had called the boss by his name.

Allen's face went dark. "That is the best fitting scenario, Chris. Now leave, be back tonight for your mission briefings."

Everyone left, except for Kara, who moved over to Allen. "Allen, are you okay? You seem so stressed lately."

Allen turned to see her face and caressed her cheek. "I am fine, love, only too many things turning up in such little time."

Kara smiled. "If you like, I can help you relax a little bit."

Allen smiled. "You go ahead, I'll be with you soon." He kissed her and let her go on her way. His face went from a smile to frown as he went back through the door; he turned a corner and came into a laboratory. "Hawkins, is the scanner working properly?"

A skinny man with an Einsteinesque hairdo and Coke-bottle glasses got up with a start. "Wha, who, ah, yes Sir, Mr. Poe. The scanner William set is in working order surprisingly." He pointed to a large screen. "As you can see, we have many good prospects in the area."

Allen nodded. "Choose one and report his or her identity to me. We have wasted plenty of time already." He started to walk away when he suddenly stopped clenching his chest.

"Sir?"

"I'm fine! Just give me a dose of the serum." Hawkins complied and went to get a syringe. Allen closed his eyes, silently asking, _Where are you?_

Hospital:

Hotaru didn't have much difficulty getting into the hospital. True, there was a little confusion left from the attack last night, but things were as normal as they could be this morning. She went straight towards the reception desk. "Hello," she said to the nurse, "I'm Tomoe Hotaru. I'm looking for a gentleman named Carlos who checked in last night."

"Of course, Tomoe-san," the nurse responded. Hotaru noted a bit of concern in the nurse's voice. As if something had gone wrong. The nurse told her to wait a while and left.

As she waited, Hotaru couldn't help overhear a conversation between two gentlemen. It caught her attention when she overheard the name 'Dark Feather'. 'Dark Feather' was an industrial conglomerate that had established a branch in Japan a year and a half ago. It quickly gained popularity and soon, there wasn't a place or time you wouldn't hear about them. From what she heard, they were offering a sizable sum to help reconstruct the hospital. The hospital representative gave thanks for the company's generosity. Hotaru huffed. _Charity shmarity, all they're after is good public relations_. She then frowned at herself. When did she get so cynical?

The nurse returned, she cleared her throat and then spoke. "I'm afraid I have some bad news. After the daimon attack last night we made a head count of all the patients and staff. Everyone was accounted for, only a few injured, no casualties, but one person came up missing. The patient registered under the name Tomoe." Hotaru's face went blank; she was barely able to give a response. "Was he family, Miss?" the nurse finally asked.

"Umm, ie, I mean. He's just someone I tried to help last night."

The nurse nodded, "I see," then went back to work.

Hotaru stood there for a moment. She took a deep breath then left, no point in staying there any longer. As she walked down the street all sorts of thoughts began to fill her head. Mamoru had pointed out that the daimon was usually a distraction while the real damage is done elsewhere, and now it seemed that Carlos had been the targeted victim. But the enemy usually just took something like a dream mirror or a stellar seed. They never kidnapped anybody before. And what was so special about Carlos? Hotaru was really beginning to worry. She just had to tell the others about this.

She was about to run back home when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Hotaru spun around to see a young man standing before her. He looked a little older than she did and a bit taller; he had long black hair held in an improvised ponytail and wore sunglasses. He said: "Stop worrying." and left.

It took Hotaru a while before she was able to recognize him. "Carlos-san?" She began to follow him but a skater zoomed in front of her, almost knocking her down. "Baka!" she called out. She looked for Carlos but he was nowhere to be seen. Hotaru shook her head. _Just what I need, more mysteries._

A local theatre:

Minako was having a hard time memorizing her lines. Maybe she shouldn't have been so ambitious and taken the smaller part instead. She sighed; she was mature enough now to know that her dreams of stardom would take a lot of work to accomplish. But she still had to jump at every chance that reared its head. _Just concentrate on your lines, Minako,_ she told herself.

As she kept on reading, another person came up to her. "Hello, Minako-san."

Minako turned over to see an emerald-haired girl. "Saori-san, how are you?" She ran up to hug her. "I heard what happened at the hospital last night. Is your brother all right?"

Saori nodded. "He's doing fine. In fact, he's scheduled to leave the hospital in a few days now." Minako smiled, she met Saori and her brother when she started working at the theater a few months ago and they all became fast friends. It pleased Minako to have found someone else with the same passion towards acting. Saori hadn't shared Minako's life, however. Her parents had gone through a difficult divorce; afterwards it had been drugs, shoplifting and several other minor crimes. A month before she met Minako, Saori had started on her rehabilitation and was doing quite well. But two weeks ago her brother was involved in a car crash from which he barely survived. If Minako hadn't been there for her, Saori would have fallen so deep no one would be able to help her.

"I'm so glad to hear that," Minako said. She then handed Saori a copy of the script. "Think you can help me a little with my lines?"

Saori gave Minako a sunny grin. "Sure."

Nightfall, unknown location:

Everyone was accounted for and waiting for Allen. The boss had become very strict about punctuality lately and woe to the one that came in late. Allen came in and everybody got up for the greeting. Allen wasted no time. "Paul and Kara, you two will go set scanners at these locations. Blaze and Chris, I have another victim for you to take care of."

Everyone looked surprised. "Uh, boss? Not to question you but, you usually send the whole gang to take care of these select pickings."

"That is true, Blaze. However, time is no longer a luxury for us. We must be taking care of many things at once."

Chris walked up to Allen defiantly. "And since when do we have to worry about deadlines, **Sir**?"

Allen frowned and his eyes went dark. He gave off a deep stare towards Chris. He trembled for a bit and then fell to his knees. If one was to look into Allen's eyes, one was to feel the touch of nightmares for a week. Chris had to learn this the hard way. "Whatever you need to know, I will tell you in time. Now go! Take one drone each, skeletons, I don't want to waste any more prototypes." Everyone left the room in a hurry, while Chris took the time to give Allen one last dirty look.

Hawkins came into the room. "He seems to become more rebellious each day, Sir. Shouldn't we take precautions?"

Allen took his time before answering; "I'll give him one more week Hawkins. If we still get no results, dispose of him."

"Yes, Mr. Poe," Hawkins said and went back to his lab. Allen sat at the table and held his head in his hands. All those projects and ambitions about to crumble. His empire was about to crumble before arising. And yet he couldn't help but smile, he had the feeling that tonight his luck was about to take a turn.

A park somewhere in Juban:

A lot of issues went through Hotaru's mind as she walked home: the insect daimon, the fallen body, the suspected murderer, the bird drawing and finally Carlos. He told her not to worry about him, but after such an encounter how could she help not to? Plus, she couldn't quite put her finger on it, but there was something…peculiar in the way she felt when she thought about him. She shook her head. _Hotaru, this is no time to think about boys. We're about to enter a crisis!_

"Caw!"

The birdcall caused her to look upwards. Yes, it was a crow, the second one she saw in two days, this one flesh and blood. It was perched on a bough, looking straight at the violet-eyed girl. Hotaru returned a curious stare. "Why do I have the feeling that you bring bad tidings?"

Without a sound, the crow opened its wings and left.

Minako wiped the sweat from her brow. Finally, she was done with the last of the props. When she started working here she didn't expect any hard labor, but in a company this small, everyone had to do all they could.

Saori came into the room. "Are you done here Minako-san?"

"Hai, do you need a ride home?"

"Arigato, but I'm actually heading back to the hospital. I want to make sure my big brother's all right."

"Do you want me to come along?" Minako asked.

"Ie, it's okay. My parents are coming over and I'd really like to spend some time with them."

"Okay, tell them I said hi." Saori smiled and went out to the door; she wasn't going to get far though.

Up in the rafters, Chris and Blaze looked over the two girls. "So which one is it?" Blaze asked. "The blonde?"

"No, it's the one with green hair. But what's the difference? Both of them are dead anyway."

Blaze nodded. "Yeah, like the boss says. Make them see their friends die first, them finish them slow."

Chris grinned. "One of the few things I still like about the creep."

Blaze looked down and stroked his chin, faking deep thought. "Hey Chris, do you like mixing work and play?"

Chris' grin grew to a smile. "Blaze my friend, sometimes you really get good ideas."

As Hotaru neared the theater, she thought about telling Minako about that bizarre encounter with Carlos. She had to choose her words carefully; Minako could come up with the wrong conclusion too quickly. Maybe she should just say 'hi' and nothing more. Suddenly the alarm of her communicator goes off. She checked it out. It was Minako! _I'll have to think of you later Carlos_. She took out her rod and ran towards her friend.

Minako assessed the situation, it was pretty bad. The one with black hair was beating Saori around the room while the redhead held and groped her. Plus, they had taken out an insect daimon, which they'd called a drone, to keep guard. It looked like the one Mercury, Saturn and Jupiter had described, only it was a lot skinnier. But the claws on its legs made him deadly enough. There was no way she could get away so she could change. Her only hope was that someone got the distress signal on time.

Chris had finished beating Saori around and had tied her up. "Don't worry my pretty. You get to live a little longer; first we're going to put up a little show for you." Minako's eyes went wide with shock. "Blaze, tie up blondie here so we can get to work."

Blaze scowled. "Why waste time? I can hold her down."

Chris gave Blaze a stern look. "You can't even hold down Paul's bird! No, take this rope and tie her up." Blaze grumbled but said no more. As soon as Minako was bound, Chris came up and started caressing her cheek with a switchblade. "Beautiful face how does the rest look?" With a swift move he slashed Minako's blouse and bra open, revealing her breasts.

Saori turned away but Blaze called out, "You should keep your eyes open. You'll just picture it in your head that way."

Chris kept playing with his knife. "Such beauty. Pity that the others couldn't make it. Kara would have really enjoyed you." He began to move his hand upwards on Minako's leg when Blaze grabbed his shoulder.

"Ain't you forgetting? **I **get to do the blondes first," he said with an unusual tone of authority in his voice.

Minako's eyes spilt rage and fear. She couldn't let this hentai creep get away with this. But tied up as she was, there was nothing she could do.

Chris grumbled and stepped back. One of these days he was going to find out about Blaze's fixation on blondes. "Okay carrot-top, what will you do first?"

"He'll step away and go to hell." Everyone looked up to find the source of the voice. Standing on a window frame they found Sailor Saturn. "Get away from those two now!" she ordered.

"Chris, its one of those senshi chicks! She's cute by the way."

"Shut up, Blaze! Drone attack!"

As soon as it heard the order, the drone charged towards Saturn. "Silence wall!" The drone crashed into a force field that appeared around Saturn. It bounced back towards the floor. Pain was definitely present. Saturn had her glaive ready, taunting, "Care to try again ugly?" The drone hesitated for a moment then charged again. Saturn was ready to slash its head off. What she didn't count on was the beast's intelligence. The drone was aiming for the area bellow her feet. Before she realized it, the wall beneath her crumbled and she was dragged outside of the building.

"Sailor Saturn!" Minako screamed.

Chris turned over to Blaze. "Send the other drone. One alone won't last against her." Blaze reached into his pocket and took out an egg. As soon as he threw it to the ground it began to hatch, and in a few seconds there was a fully-grown drone. "Go help your brother," Chris ordered. Without hesitating, the drone headed out the window. Chris turned his attention back to the girls. "Now," he began, "where were we?"

"Caw!"

Chris grumbled and turned to the window, "What now?"

"Just a bird Chris. Relax." On the hole the drone had left a crow now stood, with a look that seemed to pierce deep into the murderers' souls.

Chris was getting peeved. "And just what do you want?" he said to the crow.

A new voice answered: "He just wants to make sure you pay." Everyone turned towards the sound. At the door stood the strangest sight they ever saw. A young man dressed all in black, boots, pants and overcoat. Blaze suddenly realized that he was a dead ringer for the boss, except that he was much younger and smaller. What really surprised everyone was the newcomer's face. It was all white, his lips were black with long lines coming out of the edges and two small slashes crossed his eyes. "And the payment," he continued, "will be your lives."


	2. Death and Rebirth 2

****

Death and Rebirth

Chapter Two:

Outside the theater:

Sailor Saturn assessed the situation. The drones she was facing now were definitely weaker than the one at the hospital last night, but what they lacked in strength they made up in speed. Plus, she was facing two of them at once and that fall had left her in bad shape; this was going to be a very difficult encounter. Just before the next round started Saturn's thoughts went towards Minako. She pictured her and Saori being raped by those two men. The next best thing to a prayer came to her mind. _Please let me get to them in time_. With that she started fighting again. If she knew what was going on inside the theater right now, she'd actually be worried about Minako's attackers.

Chris was getting real angry here. First, the boss radically changes his schedule; next, he gets scared because of a possible vigilante stalking the group; third, Allen gives him one of his killer stares; last, a senshi pops up just when things were about to go his way. And now he's facing a psycho Marcel Marceau with a pet crow who wants a debt in blood. Chris wiped the sweat off his face and headed toward Carlos "Listen kid, I don't know who you are or what the hell you're babbling about," he lifted his knife, "but you are about to join these two ladies on their trip to hell".

The mime smiled. "Fine, but would you mind going ahead of us?"

Chris growled, without a word he pulled back his arm and threw his knife at the mime. It landed straight into his heart; the youth gurgled and fell.

"Ie!" Saori couldn't believe what she just saw; Minako too was appalled by Chris' cold blood. The only one smiling was Blaze

"All right, Chris, awesome move!"

Chris was in no mood for praise though. "Slit their throats open and lets get this over with! This clown just killed the mood". Chris looked up at Blaze and noted that he looked as frightened as the girls did. "What's the matter? I'm too scary for you now?"

Trembling, Blaze pointed behind Chris "B-b-behind you."

Chris turned around, and for a moment became paler than the mime's make up. There, before his very eyes, he saw the person that he just killed get up on his feet, as if nothing had happened. The teen looked down at the knife lodged in his chest with frightening indifference. He grabbed the handle and pulled out the knife, simple as that. "Now, what did you mean to do with this?" Without further delay, he charged towards Chris, knife in front, and now it was his turn to be surprised. Unlike Willy, Chris was not one to let fear paralyze him. Especially when facing death. A swift kick and the knife was knocked out of his hand and landed next to Blaze. The mime hesitated for a moment, long enough for Chris to land a punch square in his jaw.

"Don't know what you are, freak. But you're definitely no fighter."

The so-called freak got up and wiped his bloody lip "You just caught me off guard." He readied his fighting stance. "Now lets dance."

Minako watched the battle take place. That 'took me by surprise' line was definitely no excuse. This guy knew how to fight. She had absolutely no idea who he was or what were his intentions. But like the man says '_your enemy's enemy is lending you a hand_', or something like that. Minako looked over to Saori and Blaze, Saori was too frightened to even move and the prick was just standing beside her like an idiot, she could use this to her advantage. She checked the ropes holding her, Blaze did a lousy job tying her up, she had one chance to get free.

The fight between murderer and vigilante kept going. The mime tried an uppercut and Chris was barely able to evade, he quickly moved behind the mime and grabbed him in a headlock. "I gotta hand it to you kid," Chris said as he tightened his grip, "you're a much better fighter than I thought."

The other snickered (despite the choking), "Ditto, you are definitely no Willy." This last comment took Chris by surprise making him loosen his hold just long enough to be thrown over the kid's shoulder. Chris got up as fast as the pain could allow him.

"You, you're the one that killed Willy."

"Correct, but don't worry, you and Blaze will be joining him soon enough." Chris looked straight into his eyes; he could see anger in its purest form.

"If you don't mind telling me. What exactly do you have against us?" The mime closed his eyes; another flashback went through his mind.

Chris held his knife to a woman's throat, her blouse was ripped to shreds and her face was all bloody. "Worried? Can't blame you. After all, a dedicated mother can't let her kids see something like this."

"That is correct," Blaze remarked with his Freudian impersonation, "Such trraumas can last a perrson's whole life. As short as they may be."

The woman tried pleading once more, "Please…let them go I beg—" Chris' only response was to slap her face.

"Didn't I tell you to keep quiet? I guess the only way to keep you from talking, is to make you moan." The woman cried while Chris and Blaze just laughed.

After a few minutes of tugging and twisting her wrists, Minako managed a small triumph_. Finally! Now what to do?_ The guy with weird makeup was throwing the other over his shoulder, no need to go there. Minako looked towards Saori, she was still terrified while the other guy had recovered a little and was silently rooting for his partner. The important thing was that he was distracted. Perhaps she could take him by surprise and manage to get Saori and herself out of here. Minako took a deep breath, the only thing to do was an all out attack, it was at times like this when she wished she was a better strategist. She dropped the ropes and charged for Blaze.

Blaze couldn't tell what was more unbelievable, the fact that he just saw someone who should be dead get up and pull a knife out of his chest, or the fact that Chris was fighting this guy completely unfazed. He had to do some fast thinking. That nerd Hawkins said once that his humor indicated a sharp mind. _So okay, let's come up with some ideas_. He could charge into the fight and help Chris, but he knew he was no fighter, all that he would manage was make his life shorter. Blaze looked at the girl next to him, she was scared stiff. He could grab her and open her throat somewhere else, but she would probably scream and Blaze didn't want any attention right now. He could just sneak out, everyone is distracted and no one is looking at him, but Chris needed help. He couldn't abandon his friend and die, he was the only one who laughed at his jokes (okay, stand his jokes), and the guy had saved his ass more times that he could remember, he couldn't let his friend die!… Nah, he could make more friends. Blaze had no time to put his idea to work though. Before he had time to react the blonde charged at him and dug her shoulder deep into his chest. More out of instinct than reason, Blaze grabbed her hair and threw her to the floor. He looked at her and rubbed his aching chest, looks like another battle was about to take place.

He took in every detail in the flashback. Every image and every wave of pain that came with it. He wanted to justify his reasons for sending this scum into oblivion. What seemed minutes in the boy's mind, where only seconds in real time. "You and your friends hurt me and the people I love a long time ago. And you hurt them the most. Willy figured out who I was out of that so I guess I won't explain further."

Chris eyes never left his opponent, "Fine then, let's get this over with." He reached behind him and pulled out one wicked looking knife. The mime's visage kept neutral as he gestured for Chris to come and get him. The taunt had the desired effect; Chris ran toward him and slashed at his throat. Chris grinned as he saw the blood starting to flow from his neck, the grin quickly disappeared when he saw the wound seal and leave no trace.

The mime gave a look of annoyance, "Haven't you figured it out yet? You can't kill someone twice."

Chris' anger was now showing again, "Really? Then lets see if you can pull yourself together from mincemeat!"

Blaze was starting to wish he'd put more attention to the training sessions the boss had put them through. True, he was a bit stronger than the blonde, but she definitely had a lot more skill in fighting. And the fact that her being topless was distracting him didn't help. _Serves ya right you dirty minded fool_. He had to do some fast thinking.

Minako already had a plan of her own. Get this guy unconscious and get Saori out of here. Let these psychos take care of each other. This was going to be difficult though, the redhead had little or no skill in combat, but he did have stamina. She'd just have to wear it out of him. She curled her fist and drew a punch at the creep's stomach.

Just as the air got punched out of him, Blaze felt a sharp pain in his head. Probably an idea! _Blaze, you're a comedian and pervert. Use that!_ Before Minako could land another punch, Blaze raised his hands before him forming a 'T'. "Time out!" Minako was taken by surprise by this move. Blaze was pleased to see that the ruse was working "Mind if I check out a little something, Miss?"

"Uh—"

Blaze smiled. "Thank you". Before she could react, Blaze reached out with his left hand and squeezed her breast hard. "HOOONK!"

Minako was all too shocked and enraged at this move. "You little—Oof!"

Blaze wasted no time and landed his knee on her stomach, followed by a barrage of punches and kicks, it was payback time. He smiled to himself. _Never been so proud of being a pervert_.

Outside the theater, Saturn was in serious trouble. The two drones had been able to wound her, nothing serious, but it was causing her to slow down. If she could only take a few seconds to heal herself, but the drones didn't pause. But Saturn wasn't about to give up. "Silence glaive surprise!"

In the meantime, the mime was getting the upper hand in his battle. He had managed to get Chris enraged, who now was flaying his knife with no aim whatsoever. He easily dodged and gave Chris short jabs to the face, which angered him even more. But now was the time to end this. With a swift move, he grabbed Chris' wrist and snatched the weapon from his hand. The mime gave him a wicked sneer. "Now here, is how you use a knife." He released Chris and made a swift downward motion with the knife. As soon as he was released, Chris stepped back.

Seeing the apparently wasteful move, Chris laughed, "What exactly were you supposed to show me?"

"Look at your hand."

Chris saw and his face went blank. His hand was gone, his sanity was now at the edge of collapse. The mime's face now showed morbid satisfaction. He finally managed to make his prey feel fear.

Just as it seemed Minako was at the ropes, Blaze heard an explosion coming from the outside. This distracted him long enough for the blonde to get her second wind. Remembering a move that Makoto had showed her, Minako grabbed Blaze's arm as he tried to hit her, turned and threw the creep over her shoulder. Blaze grunted he lost the upper hand again, and to a girl for crying out loud. The he felt something cold and sharp with his hand, the knife! As Minako approached him, he grabbed the weapon and thrust it into her shoulder. Minako's eyes went wide with disbelief, she remembered the feeling all too well, this was a fatal wound. Everything went dark as she fell. As she lied on the floor, Blaze put his face over her own and pecked her nose. "Too bad, we could have been very good friends you and me."

Up until now Saori had witnessed everything in silence, but this was too much to bear "MINAKO-SAN!"

Exhaustion had finally caught up with Saturn. She looked up at the drones. One had a nasty slash over its chest. The other was missing its left arm, both of them. The drones attacked and Saturn did the only thing she could, "Silence Wall!" Both bugs crashed into the barrier but quickly recovered and began slashing at it. Their instincts told them that their prey was weakening. Saturn kept her shield up as best as she could. She had to survive; she had to save Minako. One more blow and the Silence Wall shattered. Saturn collapsed, her eyes closed as heard the drones step closer. She had no energy left; there was nothing she could do.

"Mars flame Sniper!"

The maimed drone looked up to see a fiery arrow crash into its chest. The scarred one turned once to see its companion reeling backwards, then again to the source of the attack, only to be greeted by a shower of red roses. Saturn opened her eyes and saw Eternal Sailor Moon kneeling beside her. "Don't worry, Saturn, help has arrived."

Tuxedo Kamen drew out his cane and Sailor Mars readied a mystic seal. "Sailor Moon! Take care of Saturn while we handle these daimon!"

Sailor Moon nodded "Hai." _Be careful Mamo-chan_.

"Huh?" the mime turned at the girl's scream; he was stricken by what he saw. The girl with emerald hair was crying her eyes out, the blonde was bleeding profusely from her shoulder and Blaze just stood there laughing. Meanwhile Chris had recovered a bit from the shock, noticing the freak's distraction he took advantage.

"Hey mime!" He turned to see a blood-red circle smash into his face, followed by a sharp sting. Chris dug the stump of his hand deep into his eye. He knew the clown would recover soon "Blaze, we're leaving!" Chris ran outside.

"Right behind you!" Blaze responded and followed.

Blinded, the mime could do nothing, he cursed his luck. Then he heard the crow's call, he didn't know how but he knew what it meant. He turned and threw a punch. It landed right on Blaze's jaw leaving him unconscious. His vision cleared in time to see his prize, he smiled. Then he remembered the girls, he walked over to help them, vengeance would have to wait.

Minako heard footsteps coming towards her. _This is it, all over_. She then heard a man's voice.

"Come on, you can help me with your friend". She managed to open her eyes and saw a kabuki character leaning over her. When he started to take of what was left of her blouse, she panicked, but felt a bit of relief when he tied the torn garment around her wounded shoulder. _He's here to help— _Darkness overcame once more.

The kabuki checked the wound "It's a clean cut. Here, hold this tight so the—" Carlos saw that the green-haired girl was still panic-stricken. "HEY!" Saori reacted to the scream. "Your friend is dying here!" he stated coldly, "Are you going to do something or let her bleed to death?"

That statement scared Saori straight. She cleared her head. _He's right. I have to help Minako-san._ Saori knelt beside her friend. "Alright. What do I do?"

He took her hand, rather roughly, and made her hold the shirt he'd tied up "Hold this tight so it stops the hemorrhage." Saying that, he got to his feet.

Saori was surprised when he started to leave. "Hey wait! Where are you going?"

He didn't even look back "You can help her on your own. I have better things to do" He turned over to where Blaze had fallen; somehow he recovered and managed to escape. No matter, those two would fall soon enough. He picked up Chris' hand and did something with it on the floor, then jumped to the hole in the wall ignoring Saori's pleading.

Sailor Mars and Tuxedo Kamen made short work of the drones. Meanwhile, Sailor Moon managed to recover some of Saturn's energy. The youngest senshi opened her eyes again. "You okay Saturn?" The Moon princess asked.

Saturn gave off a violet glow, her wounds disappeared in a moment. "Hai." Her eyes went wide suddenly. "Minako! She's still in there."

"Nani?"

Saturn took a deep breath then continued, "Minako and Saori, there are two men inside with them. They are going to—" Everybody heard someone land nearby. They were startled to see a person dressed in black with a crow perched on his shoulder.

The newcomer was quite surprised himself, three teenagers in skimpy fukus and a guy wearing a cape and top hat. This was a weird country; then again, he wasn't exactly normal himself.

Sailor Mars took the initiative. "Who are you and what have you done to the girls in there?"

He just strode by her without responding.

"Hey baka, I'm talking to you!"

He answered without bothering to face Mars. "The attackers are gone now. You can take care of the rest."

"Wait a minute!" Tuxedo Kamen poked his cane into the stranger's ribs forcing him to a halt. "You're not leaving until you tell us what we want to know!"

Annoyed he grabbed the cane, flung Tuxedo Kamen out of his way and resumed walking. None of the senshi could believe what they saw. Despite his appearance, this guy was definitely not human. "One of the girls inside is dying, and her friend is too much of a coward to help. I suggest you go inside if you don't want a life lost."

Sailor Moon, who had already gotten Saturn to her feet, was terrified by this man's coldness. Yet she managed the final verbal assault. "And why can't you stay and help, huh?"

Carlos stopped just short of entering the shadows. "I only stay where I'm needed. Or perhaps the little witch can only heal herself?" he said as he signaled Saturn.

Saturn growled when she heard that word. "And just who are you supposed to be?"

"The messenger of death, the crow," he answered and disappeared.

Saturn however, had heard a slightly different name: "Karasu no shi?"

Tuxedo Kamen and the other senshi remained speechless. Who was this kid and what did that make up mean? No time to ponder on the subject though. If what he said was true, there were urgent matters to be attended. The four went inside.

"MINAKO-CHAN!" Sailor Moon ran towards her fallen friend. The bloodstain around her shoulder seemed enormous. Luckily, Saori had made a good job in taking care of her friend. Moon called over her shoulder, "Saturn!"

"Already ahead of you." She placed a hand over Minako's wound. It healed in an instant. Saturn turned towards Saori "How about you? Are you hurt?"

"Ie, I'm alright." Her shivering said otherwise.

Sailor Moon got up. "Mars, could you call the authorities?" The senshi of fire nodded.

Meanwhile, Tuxedo Kamen surveyed the area. There'd been an obviously brutal encounter here. Blood, smashed props, a couple of stained knives and a still twitching hand, lying next to Karasu's mark. Thank goodness he hadn't had dinner yet. He thought of the dark character they met briefly. _Are you friend or foe? Let's hope at least that you're not the latter_.

Whirlpool Compound:

Kara sat in her chair staring into nothingness. Paul kept himself busy feeding his pigeon.

Finally, Kara's boredom became too much. "Why did Allen have to send **me** to run errands, while Chris and Seinfeld-wanna-be get all the fun?"

Paul didn't look up; he was used to Kara's sudden outbursts "Personally. I'm rather enjoying this little R&R."

Kara sighed "I just hope those two aren't having two much fun."

Paul gave her a mock smile of comfort "Sorry, I found out that this victim is a girl, and you know those two. Let's hope they remember to end her pain." Noting that Kara's mood was getting worse, he quickly changed the subject. "So… Did you think about what Chris has been saying?"

"About?"

"About the boss. I can't help thinking that he may be right about Poe getting out of touch."

Kara snorted, "Paul, all of us come from the sickest, scariest asylums around the world. We're murderers, rapist, freaks, the worst of all scum. How can Allen be sane? Especially when he's my boyfriend."

Paul got up "Yeah, but it's getting different. Exactly how does he manage to keep us all together? Why can't we question him when he's around? And why weren't we all that surprised when he introduced the drones?" He sighed. "There's more to this Kara, I just know it."

Kara said nothing, she would never admit it, but she believed something was wrong and wondered why nobody stood up to Allen. But it was different with her, she loved Allen and he loved her back. Didn't he? "(Sigh) I'm going to my room. I need some tunes to relax".

The door leading outside opened with a bang at that moment. "Get Hawkins, NOW!"

Paul's pigeon almost flew out of his hands. "Hey Blaze! Do you have to come in…Chris?!"

Kara and Paul were appalled. There stood Blaze with his mouth all bloody, carrying a faint Chris with a bandage where his hand should be. Kara ran over. "Blaze. What the hell happened?"

"Quit asking dumb questions and get the Nerd. NOW!"

Everyone was in the lab now. Chris lying in a cot with artificial veins hooked to his wrist. The rest of the crew, including Allen, stood by while Hawkins checked some monitors. Finally, Hawkins broke the news "Well, Chris' lost plenty of blood. He'll be unconscious for a while, but he'll survive."

Paul growled, "Survive only to bear nightmares. We shouldn't let him suffer like this." Paul headed towards the agonizing Chris but Allen stopped him.

"I'll decide who you can **liberate** Paul, not you! Now step back!"

Paul cringed. "Yes sir."

Allen took a deep breath, "Now, Blaze. Calmly tell us what happened at the theater."

Blaze took his time before answering. "So, okay. It went like this. Me and Chris go into the theater—"

"Chris and I," Hawkins corrected.

"No, you weren't there. So we find the girl, plus a blonde who's a friend of hers. We jump on them, tie them up, Chris pulls out his small knife and just as we are going to have fun, the senshi with the spear shows up—"

"Wait a minute," Kara interrupted, "You mean a senshi cut off his hand?"

"No, no, the senshi was no trouble. We sent the drones after her. The guy who sliced Chris' hand came later."

"There was someone else?"

"U-huh, right after the drones threw the senshi out, an ugly black bird showed up at the window." Allen's eyes lit up at that comment. "Then somebody calls us and we turn to see this psycho dressed in black, with black and white make up saying he's going to kill us."

Kara shook her head "And didn't Chris try to kill him or maul—"

"How do you think he lost his hand? He threw a knife straight into the mime's heart and he just pulled it out like a splinter."

Kara's eyebrows bent. "Pulled a knife out of his chest. I think you're inhaling too much nitrous, my friend"

Blaze grabbed Kara by the neck. "I didn't hallucinate! We were almost killed by a fuckin' zombie!"

"That's enough Blaze." Allen's voice quieted everyone. "Just one more thing. The mime's make up. What was the design?"

"Umm, white face, slashes over his eyes and black lips with a sort of mean smile."

Allen took in the information without gesturing. "Very well. You're all dismissed. I'll call for a reunion later." Everyone left. "Hawkins, do you know what this means?"

Hawkins almost cackled. "Yes, Mr. Poe, the bird has landed."

As the three headed for their respective quarters, Paul noted the bruises on Blaze. "Looks like you took quite a beating yourself."

Blaze took the gauze off his mouth. "What? No, the guy just knocked a couple of teeth. It was one of the girls, she knew karate."

Kara's eyes went wide "You mean a **girl** beat you up?"

"Yeah, a girl beat me up! AND A BLONDE! YOU GOT A PROBLEM WITH THAT!?" Blaze ran off to his room. Leaving the other two stunned.

"I don't believe it," said Paul.

"That Blaze and Chris came home like that?"

"That Blaze is so scared that he's actually acting serious."

The police officer looked up from his note pad. "White make up?"

Minako nodded "Hai. And he wasn't working with the others, I'm sure of that."

"Very well, arigato Aino-san. We'll find out what we can about this… Karasu no shi."

Usagi held Minako's hand. "Arigato sergeant, I know you'll do what you can."

"10-4. And by the way, it's about time we got something interesting to work on." He turned towards Minako "If there's nothing more to say Aino-san, we'll be taking you home now."

"Arigato sergeant, but I think I can manage—"

"Better do as the officer says, Mina-chan. Someone in your condition shouldn't be left alone."

Minako closed the coat she wore tighter and looked into Usagi's eyes. Her friend was right; she was in very bad shape. But strangely enough, she felt quite calm. The sergeant put his hand on her shoulder "Very well, Miss, come along."

Usagi watched as her friend left. She couldn't believe what Minako almost went trough. She was glad her well-being. But by the way her rescuer was described and what she had witnessed, she couldn't help but worry. She went to the other senshi and Tuxedo Kamen. They waited for the police to leave and released their superhero guise.

Rei was the first to speak "So, what do we do about the guy with a crow on his shoulder?"

"Based on what Hotaru told us this morning and the crow, we know who that person is," Usagi said, "The question is whether he will become our ally or not."

Mamoru gave his love a perplexed look. "Usako, you're not considering that person could be a friend?"

"Why not? We questioned Haruka-san and Michiru-san when we first met them. And now we trust them completely."

"Same with me," Hotaru said, "Haruka-papa and Michiru-mama once thought of me as a dark messiah and I'm their daughter now."

Mamoru nodded, "Anyway, there's not much we can do, except wait until those… What were they called Hotaru-chan?"

"Drones I think."

"Right, to strike again."

Rei grumbled, "So we sit around and wait as usual. Can't our enemies leave more info for once?" She shook her head with a sigh. "Anyway, let's go home."

Carlos sat on top of a street lamp nearby, the crow was perched next to him. Carlos turned to his feathered companion. "So, Guardian. Are you sure that you'll be able to find those two again?"

"_I can_," Carlos heard the crow's voice in his mind, "_and must if you and I are ever to find rest._"

"_Ah sí? _Well I never asked for you to bring me back. You could have just left me."

"_You weren't at peace. And you wanted to come back, you **had** to make things right._"

Carlos crossed his arms. The guardian was right, he wanted revenge, so badly he had to come back to the world of the living. "What can you tell me about the guy in a monkey suit and the girls we met out of the theater? The ones in sailor suits."

"_I know about them. But I can't tell you, there are rules to follow you know._" The guardian raised its head. "_And I advise that you avoid all contact with them._"

"Why? Another rule."

"_Not necessarily, but there is too much risk. Carelessness will lead you to demise. I've seen it happen to a lot of warriors like you._"

"Yeah well," Carlos jumped down, "None of them were me," he said as he pointed his thumb at himself.

The guardian watched him leave and shook its head. And eternity of carrying souls and none had given him this much trouble before. He thought of the four they met at the theater. _As much as I **want** to see you old friend. I hope the need never arises._ Then he flew off, to guide the warrior.

Hotaru heard a knock on her door. "Come in." Setsuna walked into Hotaru's room. She found her working on her drawing board.

"That was Michiru-san on the phone. She and Haruka-san are expecting to be home sometime this week."

Hotaru replied but didn't look up from her work. "That's nice."

"It seems that Haruka-san finished in third place." Setsuna snorted, "She's a bit upset about it. How about making her a big dinner to cheer her up?"

"U-huh." Hotaru kept sketching. Setsuna was starting to get annoyed.

"By the way, there's a man here to see you. You've inherited 100 billion yen." This time Hotaru didn't even nod. "Hotaru-chan!"

"Nani?"

Setsuna walked over to the young girl. "Just what are you working on that's so interesting?" She took a look at the drawing. It was the rough sketch of a young man wearing an overcoat and carrying a bird on his shoulder. It was fairly detailed, the only part missing was the face.

"It's Karasu, the person who saved Minako-chan," Hotaru explained. "He was really impressive, even though he acted like a pest, so I just had to make a portrait. Besides, it might help if the others know what he look like."

"It's…very interesting. This bird on his shoulder is a crow, ne?"

Hotaru noted something weird in Setsuna's tone. "Hai, but that's not the intriguing part." She started to work on the face. A sharp nose, thin lips, lines extending from the sides and slashes over the eyes. She put special detail on the eyes. When she saw them at the theater they were so full of anger and sadness. "What do you think these marks mean, Setsuna-mama?"

Setsuna took her time before answering. "Well, the mask obviously means to hide something, his motives perhaps. We can't come to a fair conclusion based on his image though." Setsuna changed the subject. "By the way, how was Carlos-san doing at the hospital?"

"Much better it seems. He wasn't in there.

"Nani?"

"When I went there a nurse told me he was missing. Then, after I left the hospital, he tapped my shoulder, said: 'don't worry', and disappeared." Hotaru placed her hands under her chin. "It was too vague an encounter and yet…a lot happened…" her voice drifted away.

"It sounds to me that you will be drawing another portrait tonight." Setsuna tried her best not to laugh when she saw Hotaru blush. "Anyway, I'm taking a bath and going to bed. Things were pretty busy at the observatory today. There's been talk about new funding." She took one last look at the sketch before leaving. "Your drawing skills keep getting better by the way."

"Arigato," Hotaru said as Setsuna left. She sighed with relief. If Setsuna had stayed further, Hotaru might have blurted out that she actually felt something for Carlos. Well, they weren't exactly feelings; she just felt a sort of connection between them since that night. Hotaru shook her head, it was probably just concern.

Setsuna walked out of her daughter's room and shut the door. She stood there for a while. Hotaru's drawing, she knew what and who it was. _After all this time, I don't know whether to be glad, or afraid._

Whirlpool Compound, next day:

Kara lied on her bed all alone. She tried, but hardly slept a wink. That story Blaze had told them and Chris' severed hand kept giving her nightmares. She thought of the way Blaze described that guy, white face and black marks.

Kara recalled the night when she and Allen first started sleeping together. The next morning, she got up before Allen. She started looking around his bedroom; maybe she would find something that could tell her more about her secretive lover. She saw a folder on the desk. By the looks of it, Allen had tried to hide it in a rush last night. She picked it up and took a peek at it. There were dates from about a hundred years past and several more recent police records. There was also a picture, she was about to look at it when Allen grabbed the folder out of her hands suddenly. His eyes blackened. "What exactly are you looking for, little lady?"

"A-Allen, I didn't mean…that is—" Those eyes, Kara couldn't stop shaking.

Allen raised his hand suddenly. Kara winced, thinking he was about to strike her. Instead, he softly stroked her cheek. "Curiosity killed the cat, you know. You don't think I want you getting hurt, not now that we've gotten together." Kara relaxed. "These papers are not of your concern. Don't go poking your nose in them again. Understood?"

Hawkins' voice in the intercom took Kara out of her flashback. "_Every one into the infirmary. Mr. Poe has arranged for a meeting_." _A meeting at the infirmary?_ Kara thought, _Maybe Chris' regained consciousness_. Kara got up and rushed over to where her teammates waited. She wanted answers, and this time, Allen was going to give them, one way or another.

Everyone was present. Chris looked terrible, but kept his aggressive demeanor. He was the first to speak. "All right Allen, enough is enough! We've been working for you for two years now, never knowing what is going on," he raised his maimed arm to punctuate, "and this is what finally happens! This and Willy! Now, what are your plans?"

Blaze interceded, "Hey, hey, easy pal. You've already lost a hand, don't bust a gut."

Allen took a deep breath. "Chris, I truly sympathize for your misfortune, and Blaze, I'm glad your good humor is returning." He closed his eyes and crossed his arms, "But Chris is right. The time has come for you to know the true purpose of your missions."

Those who could came closer; this was going to be interesting.

Seiryu High school:

During lunch break, Hotaru tried to distract herself by recalling some of her favorite poems, it wasn't working. But hey, that's how she spent most of her free time. All of the other students tended to leave her alone. It bothered her a bit how everyone ignored her, but at least she wasn't feared and rejected. One must count her blessings.

According to the gossip mill, there was a new student in school, one of higher level and a boy. Hotaru saw her classmates swoon over how handsome this new sempai was. She shook her head. She would never act in such a ridiculous fashion, no matter how good-looking a guy could be. True, she hadn't seen him yet, so maybe she shouldn't rush to conclusions. She was getting into that age; maybe that's why she wasn't bothered when one of her classmates came over to talk on the subject, Reiko. She was the only one who would seek Hotaru out, probably because she was also considered an outcast. Reiko was quite aggressive and bold when it came to boys, something her parents and peers frowned upon but she didn't care.

"So Hotaru-san, have you heard the news?"

"Do you mean the new student, Reiko-san? Hai, but only rumors."

"Well I've heard plenty about him," Reiko boasted, "His father works for Dark Feather and his name's Navarro."

"Navarro?" Hotaru tapped her chin, "From Spain?"

"Close, he's Mexican. Guys there are brutal and outgoing. Just the way I like 'em."

Hotaru rolled her eyes "You're already making out a profile and I'll bet you don't even know his name."

"Of course I do!" Reiko responded, "His name's Charlie—" she slapped her forehead, "Baka, he probably hates being called that. It's Carlos."

Hotaru got up with a start when she heard the name. "Long black hair, ponytail and sunglasses?"

"Uh…Hai—" Hotaru said no more, she just rushed out of the room. Reiko was surprised to see, Hotaru of all people, react like that. Then she just shrugged, "Just when you think you know a person."

It wasn't that hard to find Carlos. The crowd of girls talking about him was quite large to miss, and most turned to look in a same direction. Hotaru followed their gaze and sure enough, she found who she was looking for. There was Carlos, standing under a tree. She had to admit, he looked quite well in the uniform. She also noticed he wore a black blazer instead of blue. This matched perfectly with the mood he irradiated. His glasses hid his eyes, but one could tell he was bothered by something. Hotaru checked to make sure no one was looking, she didn't want anyone to get the wrong impression. Taking a deep breath, she took the first step.

"_Explain to me again your necessity to attend this institution._" Guardian kept watch on Carlos up from a tree, where none other could see him. He didn't approve of the warrior coming here, but there was nothing he could do to stop him.

"I needed a bit of normality in my life," Carlos answered in a normal tone, he didn't care if any onlookers thought it was weird to talk alone. He hoped it would keep people away. "Coming back from the dead as an invincible fighter is a bit too much for a fifteen-year-old." He slammed his fist into the tree. "Either I find something to hold on to or I'll go completely insane."

"_If you already possess a bit of insanity, why stop it?_" Guardian mocked. Carlos was about to give a comeback when he heard a girl's voice.

"Eto, Navarro-sempai?"

Carlos sighed, he'd already had his fill with silly girls ogling him, so he answered by yelling: "_Con una chin_…didn't I tell you to leave me—" He snapped shut when he saw who it was. Hotaru stood there stunned. "So it's you again," he said in a lower voice.

"Hai, I heard somebody with your name got inscribed and I had to see if it was you."

"Well it is me. And I told you before, you don't have to worry about me, so: _adios_." Carlos signed off and began to walk away.

"Matte! When I first found you, you were almost frozen to death! How can you just tell me not to worry, just like that?" Hotaru was starting to get annoyed by Carlos' attitude. At that moment, the bell rang.

Carlos gave Hotaru a mocking smirk, "I'd love to debate that issue, but it seems we must now part."

Hotaru frowned, "Very well. But we **will **have this conversation."

Each went on their way, lost in their own thoughts.

Whirlpool Compound:

Allen had finished his narration five minutes ago, and still, no one could answer. Paul was the first to speak "This is unbelievable. You might be toying with things beyond your control, Sir."

"I knew the risks and consequences when I started this project." Allen plainly said "And now, so do you. You can walk out, no strings attached. Or, you can stay, and reap the rewards."

Kara answered without hesitation, "You know I'll be with you Love, always."

Blaze shrugged, "I'm in too. Makes as much sense as everything else in my life."

"I'll stay," Paul said as he stared at Allen, "but for other reasons."

Allen nodded in understanding. He turned towards Chris, "What about you? You might get the chance to get even." Allen snickered in his mind. Chris was physically and emotionally weakened. While he had new confidence, Chris would be easy to control now.

"Get even? When I'm like this!" Chris snarled.

"Chris' right Boss," Blaze said. "This guy is way too strong. Maybe even for the drones."

Allen gestured for Hawkins to come closer. "Paul, Kara, you two can leave now." They did so. "As for you," he pointed to Chris, "Dr. Hawkins has ways to make both of you stronger. Think about it Blaze, no one else will ever push you around again."

Blaze's eyes went wide. "You mean the nerd here can give us super powers."

"Enhance your abilities, yes," Hawkins said non-challantly. "It depends on how willing you are."

Blaze loved the idea. He'd always been a pushover. He started to make jokes as a kid to make others laugh so they'd leave him alone. Now, it was his turn to be the bully. "Beef me up, snotty!"

Chris rolled his fist, "I still don't like you, Allen. But if you can grant me revenge, I agree."

"It's settled then. Hawkins, they're all yours." Allen left the room.

"Yes, Mr. Poe."

Allen wasn't surprised to find Kara waiting outside the door, "Now what's the matter with you?"

"I'm worried," Kara answered softly as she held to his arm, "This project of yours seems too dangerous. And don't try to hide it from me, I've noticed there's something wrong with your health."

Allen cupped Kara's chin. "I said it before, I know the risks." He gave her a quick kiss. "I must get going now. One of us has to bring food to the table."

"Not to mention the bug chow."

Allen narrowed his eyes. "Have you been spending time with Blaze?"

"Hey, he doesn't have the monopoly on lame jokes."

As Hotaru walked back home she came up to the Crown game center. She seldom went in, and right now she wasn't going to go into all that noise in her present condition. That encounter with Carlos left her with a nasty headache; she could hardly concentrate the rest of the day. She did glance inside however and saw a large crowd gathered at the 'Zombie House 3' console. _Looks like someone is about to break a new record. _She was about to walk away when she caught a glimpse of the player. Hotaru was almost positive, but she wanted to make sure who it was. She spun on her heels and went inside.

Everybody was trying to get a look at the screen. "Can you believe that guy?" "One shot, one kill." "How many tokens has he used?" "Watch out for that… Yow!" "I felt that one."

The new celebrity was just a few points away from setting a new record, and one shot away from game over. Despite all the excitement, he kept cool and calculating. His arm kept straight, vision cleared, never trigger-happy. One more shot and the record was set.

"Konnichiwa, Navarro-sempai!" Hotaru called out from right behind him.

"Aww!" That moment of distraction gave an imp the chance to bite him. Game over.

Ignoring the complaints, Carlos turned to face the cause of his demise. "_Buenas tardes, Señorita. Y gracias._"

Hotaru smirked back at him. "Well, you owed me for yelling at me back in school."

"Well now we're even," Carlos replied as he put the gun in its place, "Now we can get on with our lives." But before he could get away, Hotaru stood in front of him.

"I said we would talk. And I shall not leave you alone until we do," she stated firmly.

Carlos sighed in defeat, "_Bueno_, let's head for the café."

The two teenagers sat down, ordered their drinks and spent the following minutes in complete silence. Hotaru kept trying to make contact, but Carlos avoided her gaze. Finally, Hotaru had enough. "Look. I'm used to being ignored, but you are being just plain rude."

"I just don't like being with people. Especially those who hound me."

"I'm not hounding you."

"Oh no? Tell me then. How did you now my name is Navarro, when I never told you?"

"A friend told me, and then I, uh," Hotaru blushed as she stammered, "I…did a little investigating to make sure. Gomen ne, sempai."

Carlos crossed his arms and flavored his victory. "Okay. Now that you feel as stupid as one of the guys, I'll guess you'll be leaving me alone."

Hotaru crooked an eyebrow, "What do you mean, one of the guys?"

"_Vamos._ From what I've seen at your school, a girl with your looks must have a whole fleet of lulls behind her all the time."

Hotaru blushed furiously and almost dropped her teacup from the surprise. _My looks?_ She didn't know whether to slap his face for being fresh, or thank the compliment. She shook her head to dispel the confusion. "Tell me. How did you leave the hospital so soon?"

Carlos shrugged, "I felt better in the morning. And, as you may have noticed, I don't let people tell me where I should be. But why should you be concerned with this? You can see I'm all right."

Hotaru looked around and grabbed a newspaper somebody left behind. After flipping through a few pages, she pointed out an article. "Look at this."

Carlos' ego boosted when he read the headline, "'Maniac murderer strikes hospital'. And I thought Juban was going to be a boring place," he said with a sarcastic smile.

Hotaru huffed. "How can you laugh? The creep paints birds with blood as a calling card. Aren't you the least bit scared?"

"I have lived in both Mexico city and New York. This is nothing."

Hotaru shook her head, "I give up."

"I thought I'd find you here" Hotaru looked up, it was Ami. The azure-haired girl approached the table, "Who's your friend, Hotaru-chan?"

Hotaru made the introductions, "Ami-san, this is Navarro Carlos; Navarro-sempai, my friend Mizuno Ami."

"So you are Carlos? Pleased to meet you."

"Likewise." Carlos got up and clapped his hands. "Well, since three's crowd, I guess I'll be leaving." Before Hotaru could respond, he was already on his way. "Won't see you tomorrow."

Ami watched as the youth left. "Charming fellow."

"You said it. What is it, Ami-san? You seem worried."

"I found something at the hospital. We have to arrange a new meeting."

Dark Feather Tower:

When everybody else at the observatory had chosen her to meet with the company CEO, Setsuna accepted reluctantly. Now, as she saw the view from the top floor, she was glad they picked her.

It was simply amazing. This was the tallest building in Juban and just a small part of one of the most powerful business conglomerates in the world. Unbelievable that nearly two years ago there was nothing here.

"Meioh-san?" Setsuna turned to the secretary who called her name. "Sorry to have kept you waiting. You can come in now."

"Arigato." She followed the petit blonde into the main office. Once she took the first step inside, she couldn't help noticing the _peculiar _decor. While all the other offices were designed to use light in the most efficient manner, this one purposely received the least amount possible. It was like walking into a patch of midnight.

"Meioh-san," the secretary began, "meet our CEO and founder of 'Dark Feather': Allen Poe."


	3. Death and Rebirth 3

****

Death and Rebirth

Chapter three:

Carlos walked back to his refuge at a faster pace than usual. He thought he would never be able to get away from that girl. What scared him the most was that he wasn't sure he wanted to get away.

"_Proud of what you've done?_" Guardian asked as he landed on Carlos' shoulder.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"_It is not my duty to teach you etiquette, Warrior. But I have to say, you have been quite rude to that girl._"

Carlos stretched out his arm so Guardian could hop over and talk face to face. "Look, I don't want to waste any time getting to know people. After all, how long will I stay here?"

"_The average time for most warriors is a few days,_" Guardian replied, "_But some have stayed in the realm of the living for decades. Besides, you said you wanted a normal existence, and what's normal for mortals your age is to socialize._"

Carlos flung Guardian away, "Keeping people away from me was normal when I was alive!" He stuck his hands into his pockets and quickened the pace, he was in no mood to talk any longer.

Guardian glided overhead, he shook his head. He knew that it would be best for the warrior to keep away from mortals, on the other hand, letting that violet-haired girl get closer to him would do a world of good. The crow sighed, this was one question that had no easy answer.

Whirlpool Compound:

Blaze took a good look at the device Dr Hawkins had taken out of storage. It was a strange combination of a dentist and electric chair. "So… What is this gizmo supposed to do again?"

Hawkins was placing some info into the computer. "For the tenth time, Blaze. This apparatus is meant to grant the subject the ability to contain, charge and emit large amounts of energy."

Blaze nodded, "Gives a guy super powers, you mean?" He took a look at his clothing. "You think I should ditch the jacket and go for tights and a cape?" Blaze placed his fists over his waist and stuck out his chest as he said that. Hawkins face-faulted. "By the way, Doc. Ya think you can shed a little light on something for me?"

"It depends," Hawkins said unemotionally, "What would you like to know?"

"It's about the bird man," Blaze started as he sat down. "All of us were granted something by the boss. He lets Chris act violent, Willy used to get a big paycheck, I can be my happy-go-lucky self, and Kara…" he cleared his throat, "They know what they're doing." He posed like Rodan's thinker. "But what Paul said intrigued me. What does the boss owe him exactly?"

"Ah," Hawkins turned to Blaze, "the jester is becoming inquisitive I see. Very well, what can you tell me about Paul's personality?"

Blaze thought for a while. "Well, he's always saying that his duty is to liberate people from pain. That once they have a bad experience, they will suffer from nightmares the rest of their lives. Sorta like a horse funeral."

"That is correct. But there's something else to this," Hawkins pointed out, "Did you ever consider Paul's own suffering?"

Blaze looked up, "You know me, Doc. How am I gonna notice something like that?"

Hawkins rolled his eyes. "With the range of your attention span, it's probably moot to explain this. But I'll humor you if it keeps you quiet."

"Deal Doc."

Dark Feather tower:

"First of all, Miss Meioh, I must say that I am pleased of finally meeting somebody from such an extraordinary profession as is astronomy," Poe said as he poured the tea.

"Domo arigato, but I must tell you that my line of work is not that exiting. In fact, it can be quite boring at times." During those times, Setsuna wondered whether she should have kept her job as a school nurse.

"I'm afraid you will never convince me of that," Poe replied, "But let us get down to business. I understand that your budget for the upcoming year has been severely tightened."

"Hai, our financial situation seems to get worse by the day. Amateurs with binoculars have a better chance of discovering new systems than us."

"Well then." Allen took out a folder and slid it to Setsuna, "I took the liberty of making out a new budget, I hope that the figures please you."

Setsuna read what was inside. One of the few things she couldn't see were small details, and these often held big surprises, this was one of them. "Ara…You must be joking. An amount like this could—"

"Everything I do with my money is always serious, Miss Meioh," Poe replied in an equally serious tone, "I always go as far as I can in every project I set myself into, and this will be no exception."

Setsuna still couldn't believe it. "Poe-san, you will be responsible for taking Japanese research into the next millenium. I don't know how to thank you for this."

"I'm sure one of us will think of something."

The secretary came in at that moment. "Poe-sama, it's time for your board meeting."

"Thank you, I'll be right there. Well, Miss Meioh, as you can see I have to go run my business." He stretched his hand at her, "It has been a pleasure."

"Likewise, Poe-san."

Once Setsuna left, Poe pressed a few buttons in his computer. He raised an eyebrow as he checked the figures that came up. _Indeed Miss Meioh, an interesting pleasure._

"I'm afraid Setsuna-mama won't be able to work with you until tomorrow," Hotaru said to Ami as they walked to her house. "She has this meeting today and later she's going to pick up Haruka-papa and Michiru-mama at the airport."

"That's too bad," the azure-haired girl commented, "She's really got a talent when it comes to computer programs."

Makoto, who met the other two a while ago, noticed something amiss in Hotaru's manner. "What's wrong, short stuff? You look even gloomier than usual."

Hotaru was a bit reluctant to answer, she didn't quite understand her behavior herself. "Well…you know of the new student that was just transferred today. Ne, Makoto-san?"

Mako tapped her chin, "Hai, the Mexican kid, Navarro Carlos. I understand he is in a higher grade than you," Mako's eyes suddenly lit up, "And why are you asking about him?"

Ami narrowed her eyes at her friend, "Mako-chan, I thought you said that you were over your sempai."

"Hai, but I didn't say completely. So what's the story?"

Hotaru rolled her eyes, "It's nothing of the sort Usagi, Minako-san or you would think about." She calmed down a bit and retold the events which occurred over the last couple of days. "I wanted to make sure he's okay. But every time I try talking to him, he finds a way to elude me."

"Just like a moment ago," Ami added, "he took advantage of the fact I wanted to talk to Hotaru-chan in order to leave."

Makoto crossed her arms. "You know, now that you mention it. I ran into his teacher after school and we talked a while. It seems that he almost got into a fight in three separate occasions."

Ami's eyes went wide, "On the first day? Not even you were that hyper."

"Che. Anyway, I also heard some of my students. They're already making up gossip about him and saying that everybody should keep a way from him."

"Oh." Hotaru's visage became even more somber. Ami placed a caring hand over her young friend's shoulder.

"Hotaru-chan, you're afraid he'll be treated the same way you were, ne?"

Hotaru shook her head slowly. "Ie, I'm afraid he **wants** to be treated that way."

Whirlpool Compound:

"Okay, let me see if I've got this straight." With Blaze's constant jokes and interruptions, plus the work he had to do, Hawkins had to retell the story four times. It was amazing how he managed to keep his temper. "The birdman believes victims should be freed from nightmares. He also wants to be released from his own, but as a catholic, he can't kill himself."

"Correct," Hawkins completed "and Mr. Poe promised Paul that if he worked for him, he would eventually find someone strong enough to 'free' him."

Blaze nodded. "Sort of like the main character in fighting games who's looking for the ultimate opponent, huh?"

Hawkins scratched his chin. "It's a curious way to explain it, but, yes." He pressed one last series of buttons. "Very well, we're ready to begin."

"Well it's about time," Blaze said with annoyance, "Did you really have to input everything plus my great-grandma's maiden name?"

"This is a very complex and delicate procedure, Blaze. Nothing must be left out."

Blaze crossed his arms. "Well if it's so damn delicate. Why choose me of all people for this?"

Hawkins took out a folder and waved it in front of Blaze's face. "Because test show that you are the best candidate." Blaze was blank again, so the doctor explained, "It's true that you have no strength, dexterity and your fighting skills are pathetic."

"Thank you for reminding me Doc," Blaze said with a smirk.

"However," Hawkins pointed out, "your level of stamina is surprisingly high. Plus, you have a great tolerance for pain. Though lately I've developed a theory in which your fragmented mind just ignores it."

Blaze frowned a little. "Guess that's a compliment." All of a sudden his eyes lit up. "Wait a min—What do you mean with pain tolerance?" As he finished saying this, metallic ribbons sprouted from the seat, holding Blaze down. "HEY! What the Hell's going on here?"

Hawkins walked up with a wicked smile. "In order for the transference to be successful, the nerve system must begin totally alert. Which means, no anesthetics." Blaze broke into a cold sweat. "Not to worry, you'll probably pass out before too long. Besides, you might thank me later."

Blaze was about to reply, but all that came through his lips was a scream.

Somewhere in Juban, a little after sundown:

Haruka drove the way home from the airport, Michiru at her side and Setsuna in the back. Haruka was keeping a grim demeanor on the way back.

Setsuna leaned forward. "Lighten up, Haruka-san. Hotaru-chan is looking forward to seeing you again, you don't want to carry that face when you see her, do you?"

Haruka turned her head back a little. "Of course not. It's just that I been going through a nasty losing streak lately."

"Your last few were finished in second," Michiru quipped, "I wouldn't call that losing streak, it's just…" she searched for the proper word, "…a little downfall in your career."

Haruka shook her head. "I don't know. I guess I'm getting past my prime."

Michiru rested her head on her lover's shoulder. "Hmm, that point might be debatable."

Setsuna rolled her eyes and leaned back on her seat. "You two are impossible. You know that?"

Somewhere nearby, a lone dark figure was sitting on the edge of a building. Carlos face was strangely serene, but this didn't last very long. "_Chinga_—What's the use for this? We should be tracking down Chris and the others instead of doing these stupid exercises!"

"Caw!"

The Guardian's voice yelled in his mind. "_If you are to succeed in your mission, you need to exploit all of your abilities. Your predecessors were all able to harness them and you will be no exception._" The Guardian ruffled his feathers. He was perched on the other side of the building looking towards the opposite direction from which Carlos was facing. "_Seeing through my eyes is one of the simplest exercises,_" he said more calmly, "_now clear your mind and let us both think as one_."

Carlos took a deep breath, he took lotus position, shut his eyes and let his mind wander. He tried to empty his head but images of his murderers kept appearing.

"_Control your emotions,_" the Guardian stated, "_they're supposed to strengthen not hinder you._"

Carlos wordlessly agreed. It took a little time and eventually the images faded. Now, the shadow of a young girl appeared. Carlos punched a hole in the floor from exasperation. "I can't do this!"

"_Yes you can, and the sooner you understand your feelings for that girl, the sooner you'll progress._"

"I don't have any feelings for her!" Carlos grumbled, "Why did I have to crash into her in the first place?"

Guardian shook his head. "_Never mind that, now clear your mind._" It took a few minutes, but Carlos' mind was finally clear of thought. "_Good, now I'll start sending the image, but it's up to you to keep the connection_." Carlos didn't answer, but this was okay, Guardian didn't want his ward to suffer a step back.

Carlos saw a path form in his mind. No, it was a paved road, wait, it was the street. Buildings and street signs fell into place as in a jigsaw puzzle. Before long, the whole picture was in his mind.

"At this moment you're looking at a building," Carlos stated, "The sign is red and it reads 'hotel'."

"_Correct_" Guardian looked another way "_Now what do we see_?"

"An empty corner, nothing outstanding just… Wait! A dog just ran through."

The Guardian was proud. "_Very good, one more and we're done for tonight_." He set his sight somewhere else.

"A woman's walking down the street. Her dress is simple, she seems to be in a hurry and-" Carlos frowned. "She's scared, the darkness frightens her."

The Guardian's eyes widened in surprise. "_You can sense her emotions? You're a lot better than I thought._"

"Actually, I got that from the way she's looking in all directions frantically."

Guardian sighed, "_At least you are perceptive warrior._"

Carlos chuckled. They both kept vigil over this woman until she suddenly disappeared into an alley.

"Hey!" Carlos didn't need any sort of power to know what happened. He hurried to where the woman last was.

Guardian called out: "_Warrior_!" but stopped himself. The rules, he couldn't interfere with the warrior's decisions. He flew off to follow. "_Even if I could, I doubt he'll listen_."

She hated going through this place, the darkness and decay scared her. She wished she didn't have to, but there was no other way. Her family needed the money, with her husband being in the hospital. All of her life she rejected these places and the people who lived there, but now there was no choice.

Suddenly she felt an iron grip on her shoulders and her feet lifted from the ground. She closed her eyes and when she opened them again, she almost fainted. Holding her was a gigantic brute, reeking of sweat and cheap alcohol. Behind him was a rather skinny man, five o'clock shadow and holding a switchblade, and farther behind was a young boy, no older than fifteen, his face depicted insecurity.

The brute's lips broke into a crooked grin. "It seems we caught ourselves a big one. Taeki, check the purse."

The skinny man did so and, to the woman's horror, a look of disappointment appeared in his face. "Nothing but pocket money here. She's not worth waiting in this stinky alley."

"Oh, I don't now," the brute said as he eyed his victim lustfully, "We might be worthwhile in other areas."

Tears started forming in her eyes "No… Please—" her mouth was covered by a filthy hand.

The brute turned towards the young boy. "Hey Shiro! Come on, you get to pick first."

Shiro was taken by surprise. "F-first pick of what?"

"You know what baka!" the brute growled as he grabbed the woman's crotch. "You want to become a man right? So act like one!"

Shiro gulped, he knew very well what happened when the brute got angry. Plus, he wanted acceptance. He looked at the woman, who was openly shedding tears. Feeling unsure he stepped forward.

"Take another step and you're a dead man, Shiro."

All four turned around to find Karasu. The marks on his face appeared darker and his eyes spilled forth hatred and rage. Guardian landed on his shoulder. The spread wings gave him a more sinister look.

Taeki looked over at the leader. "Looks like someone's ready for a masquerade party." He walked over to Karasu, threatening him with the knife. "Listen kid, if you know what's good for you, you're leaving no—urk!"

Karasu grabbed Taeki by the neck and Yanked the blade from his hand. His gaze pierced into the skinny punk. "If **you** knew what was good for you, you wouldn't be preying on innocents."

"_Leave now and you will save your lives._"

Taeki looked around nervously, "Nani? Who said that?"

Karasu tightened his grip, "They're not going anywhere, Guardian, and they won't live beyond tonight."

Shiro, the woman and the brute heard a gurgling sound coming from their companion. Before either could react, Karasu threw Taeki at their feet. They almost lost their lunch when they saw what the warrior had done. Karasu had driven the knife into his navel and carved him open, spilling out his bowels. Shiro was frozen in place and the brute was so frightened his grip on the woman loosened. Feeling this she took the chance and made a run for it.

"Hey! Where do you think you're going?" He tried to grab her again, instead someone grabbed him. He felt an incredible pain as blunt fingers ripped into his flesh.

"She is free to go where she pleases," Karasu said with an unholy voice, "You stay here and pay for your sins."

The brute broke free and took a fighting stance. "Maybe you killed my buddy. But you'll see that I'm not so easy!" He charged at Karasu, a quick jab to the face, punched the stomach, uppercut, left hook to his nose and several more punches. Karasu put up no defense and fell after receiving the barrage. The brute stood over him gloating. "Guess you're not so tough after all, ne?" He grabbed the undead by the hair and pulled him up. He saw his face, bloody, torn lips, a broken nose and his eyes starting to swell. He was about to laugh when Karasu's face suddenly broke into a wicked grin. The blood seeped back into his wounds as they disappeared. The brute let go as the other grabbed the front of his shirt.

"That's was a lame display my friend," Karasu mocked as he cocked his arm, "Now let me show you how to punch."

Michiru looked at Setsuna to confirm what she'd just heard. "Giant roaches?"

Setsuna nodded. "That's what Hotaru-chan and the others said." She shuddered. "And I don't even want to picture them."

Haruka snorted. "And you believe there's a new organization behind the attacks."

"From what Ami and Makoto-chan found at the hospital, yes," Setsuna affirmed, "This time however, we are dealing with science, not magic."

Michiru nodded in recognition. "Like the death-busters, ne?" She smiled at the other two. "At least they should be easier to handle than Galaxia." Her smile grew brighter. "Plus, last time we fought that kind of an enemy we received a great reward." She meant of course their daughter, Hotaru.

Those words filled Haruka with warm memories of Hotaru's joyful, though brief, childhood. She was about to relate a funny anecdote when the three saw a woman running down the street as fast as she could. "What's her hurry?" Haruka asked.

Michiru tried to keep the woman on sight. "I don't know, she seems to be running away from—" something hit the window suddenly. "EEK!"

"Michiru!?"

"I'm okay it's just that something…" her face went blank, "Haruka, stop the car, now!" Haruka didn't understand, but did so. Both Setsuna and her turned to Michiru to ask what was wrong. The answer was already there. On the window was a large crimson stain. Everyone ran out of the car and back to the spot where they heard the bump. When they found what they were looking for, Michiru instinctively went into Haruka's arms, who tried her best to comfort her love. There in the middle of the street laid a severed head. Setsuna gulped, she reached forward to examine it. There was a depression on the face, indicating a strong blow, what scared her was the tears around the neck.

"No weapon was used. His head was literally knocked off." She got up "Whoever did this must be incredibly powerful." Haruka was about to question when they heard a scream coming from the alley nearby. They knew what had to be done.

Shiro couldn't believe what he just saw. The weirdo with the make up punched his leader and sent his head flying away. And now he was heading straight for him! Instinctively he reached for the gun he was carrying, but Karasu snatched it with a quick motion. "I'm in no mood to be shot tonight." He tilted his head "Besides, it would do you no good." He checked the gun, a Beretta. "You got extra ammo?" he asked as he reached into Shiro's jacket. He pulled out a magazine. "_Sí_. Now how about your boss." He pressed his foot onto Shiro's stomach and leaned over to the beheaded corpse. "Yep, here's another piece," he stood upright, put one gun and ammo into his coat and aimed the other at his victim, "Now say goodnight."

The sight of the barrel pushed Shiro over the edge. "IE! I didn't do anything!"

"But you were going to and that's why you're paying! And screaming will gain you nothing."

"It will gain him more than you expect."

Now it was Karasu's turn to turn around in surprise. Standing before him were three of the outer senshi; Sailor Uranus, Sailor Neptune and Sailor Pluto.

Guardian's beak gaped open when he saw these three. "_I suggest we flee, Warrior, you are no match for the senshi of the outer system._" Having said that, he flew away.

"The senshi." Karasu nodded "that's six down and three to go I believe." He turned his attention back to Shiro "If you ladies don't mind. I've got to give this creep a lesson in justice."

Pluto stepped forward. "It's not justice you are delivering, but misguided anger and death. This misconception will condemn you as it did many others before you."

The undead teen looked back at Pluto, more surprised than before. The other senshi were wide-eyed as well. How could she know about him? He shook his head and assessed the situation. One against three and he knew nothing about them, serious disadvantage. Guardian was right, he had to leave.

Before the outers could make a move, Karasu made a gigantic leap towards the wall. They watched in amazement as he bounced off them and made his way to the roof. Uranus took charge of the situation. "Pluto, you stay with the kid. Neptune, follow me."

Pluto tried to warn her companions but they were already gone. She wanted to follow but Uranus was right, someone had to comfort the child. She went over to Shiro, who was on the ground, sickly pale. "Don't worry, everything's fine now."

Karasu knelt on the roof, a stone on each hand. He knew they were going to follow him. They seemed that kind. And he was ready. As soon as the senshi showed up he fired. The blonde one avoided the projectile easily, the aqua-haired wasn't as fast. The stone struck her right on her knee. And he threw it with enough force to draw blood.

"Gahh!"

"Neptune!" Uranus ran to her love, momentarily forgetting about the kabuki.

Neptune clenched her leg, tears in her eyes. "I'm all right, it's not serious." She looked up to see their foe getting away. "You better get a move on if you plan to get that guy."

Uranus smiled and gave Neptune a quick kiss. "I'll come back for you." She went off.

Karasu ran and jumped over the rooftops with an agility that surprised even him. He was still getting used to all these new powers he obtained with his rebirth. _I'll definitely have to talk with Guardian about this_. He came to a stop, thinking that the senshi had probably given up on him.

Guardian landed on his shoulder a moment later. "_Could I suggest we keep retreating?_"

"_Vamos_, I got a good head start, and with the speed I kept, there's no way she can reach me." He then heard the air whoosh over him and saw Uranus landing a few feet in front of him, Star sword at the ready.

"_Warrior, meet Lady Uranus, rider of the wind._"

"I don't know who you are or how Pluto seems to do so. But I'm not forgiving you for what you did to Neptune."

Karasu laughed and went into a fighting stance. "A challenge, huh? Think you can take me?"

"Considering how you ran off, hai," Uranus taunted.

"Back there I was outnumbered. Here, we're one-on-one," Karasu retorted, confidence in his voice and on the smile on his face. Confidence which made Guardian wince and Uranus nearly doubt her wisdom when she saw those black eyes.

Uranus made first offense, swinging her sword. A light attack, she wanted answers not blood. She was surprised to see that the boy didn't dodge, in fact, he grabbed the blade with his bare hands. Followed by an elbow into her chest. She fell back. This kid was definitely as strong as Pluto had suspected. She saw Karasu standing over her grinning.

"Now, since I can't have you following me, I guess—OW!" Carlos had felt a sharp pain in his hand. He took a look at it. He examined the wound caused from holding the sword. Why did it hurt? Then he realized. The wound wasn't healing!

"_That weapon is the Star sword, a mystical artifact. Such items can harm or even kill you!_"

Karasu's initial confidence sunk like a stone. "_Que qué_!?" He almost didn't react when Uranus took another swing at him. This time he tried to avoid it completely, "Why didn't you say anything?"

"_I wasn't expecting you to fight her!_" Guardian answered as he flew off in a hurry.

__

Who is this guy talking to? _The crow?_ Uranus noted how this person's demeanor changed from over-confident to fearful, plus, he was apparently talking to a bird. He had to be crazy, to say the least. She made a downward swing, Karasu evaded and countered with a knee toward her midsection, direct hit. Uranus stumbled a little from the pain. _Crazy perhaps, but he can fight that's for sure_. She planted her left foot and threw a kick.

Karasu received the kick right in his chest, it hurt more than he expected. He knew he was in trouble. This lady was stronger than he expected, knocking her out would take some time. Plus, he didn't count on her sword actually killing him. He countered with a series of punches and hoped a plan came to mind.

Uranus evaded some punches, blocked others and a few hit. These few were enough to make her loose her temper. She took a wide swing with her sword; Karasu leaped back, a little too far. He landed right on the edge of the building, flaying his arms. "Ie!" Uranus tried to reach him, but it was to late, Karasu fell. She watched in horror as he landed on a street sign, ending up impaled. She jumped down. Uranus couldn't believe it, she let her anger cloud her and now they would never know who this person was.

Karasu kept still, letting her think she was approaching a corpse. _Vamos, get closer._

Uranus went near the body. Maybe she could find something useful. As soon as her feet were next to his, she felt something trip her. Uranus fell, face first, and before she could turn she felt a blow on the back of her head. Everything went dark.

"Uranus? Uranus wake up!"

Uranus felt like her head was about to explode. How long had she been unconscious? She opened her eyes slowly and was greeted by the sight of an aqua-haired beauty.

Michiru gave a warm smile. "You took so long coming back that I decided to follow you." Her visage quickly changed to concern when she heard Uranus' moan. "You all right?"

Uranus' clutched her head. "Nothing some aspirin can't fix." Suddenly she remembered the events from a few moments ago. "Matte! Where's?" She looked towards where Karasu once laid. He was gone and the sign had been sliced with something. "My sword!" She hesitantly checked the blade for scratches, an unnecessary precaution, but it was her weapon.

"When we got here you were alone and unconscious. The masked one was long gone," was Setsuna's answer to unspoken questions.

"We would have gotten sooner, but my knee slowed us down," Michiru explained.

"That's okay." Uranus said as she changed back into Haruka Tenoh. "What I'd like to know is how you seemed to know about him, Setsuna-san."

Setsuna noted the look on her friend's eyes. She noted Michiru had also shifted into interrogation mode. She sighed, "Let's go home first. I'll explain then."

A few blocks away. Carlos was lying in an alley rubbing his stomach. The Guardian stood in front of him. "_Are you all right, Warrior?_"

"I'm fine!" Carlos answered in a fowl mood, "My grandmother's salsa does more damage." He examined his hand; it had stopped bleeding at least. "Will this heal?"

"_Given time, yes_." He stepped closer to his ward. "_The senshi are sworn defenders of this realm. As an outsider and a destroyer by nature, you oppose them completely. You shouldn't have been so impetuous_."

"Well if you had told me about them, this wouldn't have happened," Carlos said as he put his hand right in front of the Guardian's face.

"_I couldn't tell you about them_," Guardian answered calmly, "_There are certain things that I can reveal and others that you must seek for yourself. They're the Overlords' rules warrior, not mine_."

Carlos leaned back and took a deep breath. "What troubles me is what the one with green hair said. 'Not delivering justice, but anger' What does that mean?"

"_Do you remember what the boy you held said, what you felt as you touched him?_"

"He said that he didn't do anything. But that's no excuse," Carlos deadpanned, "But I did get a strange feeling from him. Something that was holding me back."

"_What you felt, was his innocence_." Carlos sat up with a start. "_Don't be surprised, Warrior. That child is in fact an innocent. He was just misguided because of bad companies_." Guardian jumped on Carlos' knee. "_Does that sound familiar?_"

Carlos frowned at the bird's mock. But closed his eyes as memories flooded his mind.

Mexico, Three years ago:

"_Ándale Carlos_." The pre-teen motioned for Carlos to hurry as he ran down the parking lot, a baseball bat in hand.

"I'm coming. Wait up Roberto." A younger looking Carlos jumped over the fence. He followed his friend. They both arrived at the reunion spot. Three others were there waiting, armed with sticks, bats and a lead pipe. Everyone was standing around a very fine looking car. One of them, probably the leader, came up to Carlos and Roberto. He was a bit older and wore a very subtle goatee.

"I was about to give up on you guys. Are you sure you've got what it takes to pull this off?"

"And miss the chance to get even at the principal?" Roberto asked with mock hurt, "No way. We said we're in, and we're in, Jairo."

Jairo smiled. Then he turned to Carlos, his faced expressed doubt, plus, he didn't bring any sort of tool or weapon. "What's up, Carlos? I thought you said your dad had a sledgehammer or something."

"Um, yes he does," Carlos answered with a nervous voice, "I guess I forgot to bring it along."

Jairo crooked his eyebrow, "Are you getting cold feet Carlos?"

"Of course not! It's just…" Carlos' arms dropped as he threw an exasperated glance towards the sky. "I don't see if this is really necessary."

Roberto put his hand on his friend's shoulder. "_Vamos,_ Carlos, the guy's been on your case ever since school started. And now he suspends you for a week. Don't tell me you don't wanna get even."

Jairo shook his head. "Forget it, Roberto. Carla here doesn't have the guts to do it. He just can't be a real man." He gave Carlos a taunting gaze as he said that, it wasn't necessary.

Carlos frowned, he walked up to Jairo and grabbed the leads pipe from his hands. He stood in front of the car and raised the weapon. "You want to see if I've got what it takes?" Anger feeding his words. He brought his hands and smashed the windshield into dust.

"_Órale mi Carlos_!" Soon, everyone joined the fun, destroying the vehicle.

"What you are saying is that I'm no different from that kid I threatened. Right?" Carlos asked as he came back from the flashback.

"_Not exactly the same. The way you were going, you would have ended up worse_." Carlos didn't hide his shock when he heard this. "_The important thing is, you have to focus your rage. Those two you've slain, had what they deserved. But I strongly recommend, save the punishment for the ones who murdered you and your family_."

Carlos nodded in understanding. "Okay. I'll try to keep under control. But mark my words," his tone left no room for doubt, "if I feel the opposite to innocence, Hell comes with me."

"_Just make sure you look before you leap, all right?_" Guardian scolded.

Carlos grumbled. "Well, if you knew about this. Why didn't you say anything?" The Guardian kept quiet, looking at Carlos in the eye. "Oh yeah, the rule that says some things I have to learn alone."

"_Yes. I can lead you to your enemies, teach you about your powers and that's about it_."

Carlos opened and closed his wounded hand. It was a bit sore, but nothing serious. He thought about the little brawl he had with Uranus. "Hey Guardian. You think with a little training I'll be able to stand up to the senshi? Maybe even beat one."

The Guardian sweat-dropped. "_You can't be considering another encounter_."

"The occasion might arise," Carlos explained, "And I don't want to be totally helpless."

Guardian nodded in agreement. "_With the proper training, yes, you can stand up to them._" His ward got up with eagerness. "_But the training starts tomorrow, even spirits and undead fighters need to rest you know. And you must promise never to take first offense_."

Carlos was a bit disappointed, but the crow was right. The bird flew searching for a resting-place and he followed.

Outer senshi manor:

Hotaru lied on her bed with a book of French poetry in her hands. She made all the preparations for dinner and all she had to do now was wait for the others to arrive. She decided to pass the time reading as usual. Her mind however, was not focused on poetry.

She couldn't help thinking about Navarro-sempai. At first she was concerned with his health, now she was concerned about him. Those fears of him wanting to be utterly alone were true. Hotaru knew very well what it felt like to be a pariah. No one deserved that, even if that was what he seemed to be after. She really had to talk to him. But she had to respect her sempai's privacy, and she didn't want to give the others at school the wrong impression, her social status was already in jeopardy. Then again, Michiru-mama had told her that she should go out and make friends on her own; and Haruka-papa once said: "If you find a boy you like, go after him. Who cares what people say?" Hotaru snorted, she could never be that bold. She checked how much of the book she had read. She hadn't flipped a page in nearly a half hour. _Spent all this time thinking about a boy. I'm becoming Mina-san._

Suddenly she heard the front door open and three sets of footsteps pass through the threshold. She dropped the book and ran downstairs.

"Haruka-papa, Michiru-mama! Welcome—" The joy Hotaru brought faded when she saw Michiru limp and Haruka's bruised face. "What happened to you two?"

"Oh, just a little encounter with a kabuki actor. Ouch!" Haruka rubbed her temple harder.

Hotaru's eyes went wide, _Karasu no shi_. "Come on. Sit down." She helped Setsuna take Michiru to the living room. Once seated, Hotaru placed her hands over Michiru's knee. There was a violet glow and the wound healed. She did she same to Haruka, before long, her face bared no mark.

Hotaru took a deep breath. "That's all I can do. The headache you'll have to take care of yourself." Haruka covered her face and answered with a moan. "Now," Hotaru started, "you say you met Karasu."

Now Michiru was surprised. "You also now about him?"

"Hime-chan encountered him at the theater where Minako-chan works," Setsuna explained.

"And he didn't attack you?" Haruka asked.

"No, as a matter of fact, he saved Minako-san and her friend, Saori-san. At least that's what Minako-san said." Hotaru frowned. "But why did he attack you and not us at the theater last night?"

Setsuna turned to her sisters. "Actually, it was Uranus and Neptune who threw the first offense. My belief is that he had to act like he did out of self-defense."

Haruka and Michiru glared back at Setsuna. Hotaru noticed and came to the rescue. "How about some dinner and then we discus this more calmly, huh?" she said as she gave her trademark kawaii smile.

Dinnertime was spent normally. Haruka talked about the race, Michiru related anecdotes and some tours they took, and Setsuna and Hotaru talked about everyday things.

"How about the four of us going out to dinner Saturday?" Michiru proposed as she picked up the plates. "It's been a while since we've all done something together."

Two of the outers answered affirmatively, Hotaru's mind however, was somewhere else. Haruka noticed this. "Is something wrong, Hime-chan?"

"Huh? Ie, it's just that…" Hotaru threw her head back and sighed, "Have you ever met someone that you knew needed help, but also knew he wouldn't accept it from you?"

Haruka thought for a while, "Ie, can't say that I have."

"Unless you count yourself," Michiru quipped. This earned her a 'no time for games' stare from her love. "Anyway, if you truly believe he needs your help, then give it to him. Even if he won't accept it at first, you have to insist." Michiru then realized something, "Who's **he** by the way?"

"Navarro-sempai. The new student I told you about."

Haruka grinned mischievously at Hotaru, "Sempai huh? I think I smell something more than worry here."

Hotaru blushed furiously. "Haruka-papa!"

Michiru came to her daughter's rescue. "Changing the subject. Setsuna-san, you said you would tell us about Karasu once we got home." Setsuna looked up at Michiru. "Well?"

Setsuna closed her eyes for a while, then she got up. "Ami-chan called me this afternoon. We'll be having a senshi meeting tomorrow." She started her way upstairs. "It will be better if I told everyone at once. I don't like to retell the same story." Setsuna left, leaving her sisters feeling annoyed.

"And since when do you like telling a story?" Haruka called out loud. Then she felt a thousand needles going through her skull. "Shouldn't have done that!" she moaned as she rubbed her temple for the Nth time.

Hotaru and Michiru laughed.

Whirlpool Compound:

Allen sat on a chair in Hawkins' lab. There was an IV needle attached to his arm. He sat perfectly still. You couldn't even tell if he was breathing. In his mind he recited a mantra over and over. One that he had learned a long time ago, longer than one may think.

Hawkins' approached. He was about to rouse Allen, but stopped himself. Once he interrupted Allen's meditation and had suffered the consequences. And once was enough. He waited a few minutes, until finally Allen gave a deep breath. Hawkins spoke cautiously. "Mr. Poe? Here is the progress report you asked for."

Allen opened his eyes. A brief glow came out of them. "Yes, Hawkins. How are our two 'volunteers' coming along?"

Hawkins held up a notepad he was carrying. "Blaze is doing well with the energy transfusion. His charge is up to 30 and the regulator armbands are being customized as we speak."

Allen nodded. "And Chris?"

"His body is accepting the prosthesis. All that's left is to arm the weapons."

"And when will they both be ready?"

Hawkins checked his notes again. "Hmm, it's hard to tell. Could take days or even weeks. Not only must their bodies adjust but their psyche. Not to mention they need a little time for training."

"Very well. Get back to work now Hawkins, I don't want any screw-ups, not when we're so close to the end."

"Yes, Sir." Hawkins made a short bow and left.

Allen closed his eyes and began a conversation with himself. _It's just a few more days; nothing compared to how long you've been waiting. True, but the closer you are to you goal, the more anxious you get. Yes indeed_. "Soon I'll have you, and your secret." Guttural laughter filled the room.

At an abandoned house:

Guardian heard a noise and woke up with a start. He looked over at the source and saw Carlos in the middle of a kata. He grumbled and went back to sleep. "_You don't require sleep warrior, but I do. Try to keep it down_."

"Why can't I feel them?"

Guardian stood up. "_What?_"

"At the hospital I was able to sense Willy right away. And after I'd slain him I felt Paul from somewhere farther away." He threw one last kick. "But he disappeared before I could follow him."

Guardian thought about this for a while. "_It is worrisome that their presence is hidden from our perception. In the past, mages could create defenses of such sort. But the belief in magic has become rare in this realm, and science is not yet that advanced. And the ones who slew your family clearly ignore both magic and science._"

Carlos was perplexed. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"_That someone more powerful might be behind all this._"

Carlos laughed. "No way. Why would a wizard want to off an average family?" His gaze darkened. "My family was murdered because some creeps thought it was fun. And I will have my fun, tearing out their entrails!" He began to exercise again, this time with more fury.

Guardian shook his head. If the younger generations were willing to listen, such a different world this would be.


	4. Death and Rebirth 4

****

Death and Rebirth

Chapter four:

"You tried so hard, and yet you failed. You just weren't strong enough to help them or yourself. All this time, thinking you're so strong. And now you see how weak you really are."

"This isn't fair. This shouldn't have happened, not to them!"

"Will you stand the pain? Will you risk damnation? One choice must be made, definite and final."

"You must choose." "Too must risk." "They must pay" "Choose." "Don't let us loose you." "Choose!"

"IE!" Hotaru woke up, covered in cold sweat. That nightmare she just had was so vivid. Shadows were all around her persecuting and demanding. And those voices, they were so filled with pain and they sounded so familiar. She felt a sense of loss when she heard them. The strangest part was that she didn't quite feel like herself in the dream. She glanced at her alarm clock, ten minutes for it to go off. _I might as well get up_. She did so and walked up to the window to open the curtains. The sky was still dark, she sighed. _Why do I get the feeling I should have stayed in bed_?

Dark Feather tower:

Everything pointed out to a very pleasant day. The air was chilly, but the sky was clear. The sun shone down giving off a pleasant amount of warmth.

Allen sat at table, in the patio he had placed on the top of the building. Beside him was Kara. Both were out of their regular clothing and dressed in more formal attire. Kara had changed out of the leather jacket to a red business suit. Allen wore a black Italian suit.

Both of them were having breakfast and Kara was especially enjoying hers. Being insane and terrorizing people could get you down after a while.

"I'm curious, Allen," Kara began as she finished her meal, "A few days ago you said that time was no longer a luxury for us. And here you are today, all relaxed as if everything was fine with the world."

"I really don't know about the world," Allen responded, "But in my personal life, everything is going my way. And to clear your doubts, Back then I wasn't in the best condition and had forgotten one of my father's teachings. 'When in a hurry, don't rush.'"

"That's something else I want to talk about," Kara said worriedly, "your condition. Right now you seem fine, but I've seen those coughing fits you have and they're becoming more frequent." She took his hand in hers. "If you're ill, Allen, you have to tell me."

Allen gave her a reassuring smile and tightened his own grip on hers.

The phone rang.

Allen and Kara dropped their heads in unison. Every time they began to share their feelings, something or someone interrupted. And this was Allen's private line, which meant this was important.

"Yes?"

"_Mr. Poe, Sir, it's Hawkins. I just wanted to inform you that the trackers won't be ready for two more days. And the progress with Christopher and Mr. Blaze is going on smoothly._"

"Very well, I'll expect a report from you later." Allen hung up.

Kara restarted conversation, "So, is everything ready for the party?"

"All set to celebrate Dark Feather's 10th anniversary. Are you looking forward to it?"

"Yes, I am," Kara said with a broad smile, "after all, it's going to be our first official date."

"Well you have to understand, psychotic assassins don't do well in social events," Allen pointed out, "I had to wait until you became a bit more controlled."

Kara's smile was replaced by a steely glare. "If you're insinuating that I'm going sane or soft, I'll carve out your heart with this butter knife." She gripped said item to prove her point.

Allen wasn't fazed. "But you are going soft. A few months ago you would have used the dessert spoon."

Kara giggled and got closer. "I guess love really does change a girl." They kissed again and this time with no interruptions.

Seiryu High school:

Makoto walked down the aisles towards the home economics class. When the school year started, she got a job offer as an assistant for a cooking class. This was just perfect for her, she would work by doing her favorite activity, plus, she would be teaching other girls to enjoy it as well. But the best part came when she met the sensei, Andretti Shigeru. Twenty years old, mousy hair and half Italian. Their relationship started out as merely professional. But as time went by, they became gradually closer. Before either of them knew it, they were officially a couple. And just last month, Shigeru asked her to marry him. She immediately accepted. He's handsome, understanding, they have similar tastes and the best part, according to Minako and Usagi, he didn't remind her of her former sempai at all. Makoto laughed at herself. How could it possibly have taken her so long to get over him? Perhaps she just needed to find the right person. She looked up and saw Andre-chan, her pet name for Shigeru, waiting by the door.

Shigeru greeted Makoto with his usual charm, "_Bongiorno mi bella donna_."

Makoto answered with a loving smile. She didn't understand Italian at all, but she liked the way it sounded. "Ohayo gozamaisu, Andre-chan." She approached and gave him a quick kiss. "What kind of cuisine are we teaching today, oriental?"

"Nope. Today I'm planning to do my mamma's recipe for Spanish omelet," he winked, "with a few variations of my own."

Makoto winced mentally. One minor defect that Shigeru had was that he was a bit too fond of garlic. He knew it bothered her a bit, and enjoyed teasing her about it.

"Just don't add too many variations. Okay, Andre-chan?" she begged.

Shigeru pulled her close "Then I guess we better get this done already." Saying that, he kissed her. Makoto returned the kiss passionately. For a minute they forgot where they were.

"It seems you'll be making a flambé today, hmm?"

"Nani?" Makoto and Shigeru broke away and saw one of their students standing there grinning. Makoto blushed a fierce red.

"Just go inside. And keep this to yourself. _Capisce?_" The girl did so, trying to keep a straight face. Shigeru rubbed his temple. "You know Mako-chan. Maybe the faculty is right, we should be a little less friendly with the students."

"Give them a break, we always wanted one," Makoto replied, "Besides, we deserved that." Her smile was then replaced by a worried look. "Andre-chan, you also have a class with 3-C, ne?"

"Yes I do, why?"

"There's a new student in that group, Navarro Carlos. It's probably nothing, but Hotaru-chan is worried about the way his classmates are treating him. Do you know if they are spreading any rumors or gossip about him?"

Shigeru furrowed his brow. "I believe Navarro-san was transferred just yesterday, ne?" Makoto nodded. "Then how could I know of any rumors if I don't work with 3-C until tomorrow?"

Makoto didn't mind that mistake though. "Well when you do have that class, try to find out what you can, okay?"

Shigeru gulped, Makoto had told him about the schemes she used to pull off with her friends when they were younger. Was she trying to relive the good old days? He shuddered at the thought.

Makoto gave him a peck on the cheek. "Come on now. We're the teachers and were late!"

Hotaru waited outside for her friends to pick her up, and it was just the perfect day for it. The sun shone brightly and the air was cool, definitely not the kind of weather to stay indoors. She went to her favorite tree and ate. Afterwards, she took out a sketchbook and practiced her drawing. She decided it this morning, today was just for herself. No bugs, no vigilantes, no sempai, just drawing. Some people had other plans for her however.

"Ohayo Hotaru-chan. How's your boyfriend?"

Hotaru looked up at her friend. "Reiko-san? What are you talking about?"

The redhead sat down. "You know. You left in such a hurry yesterday that all I could think was: these two are a hot item."

"We are not an item!" Hotaru retorted, "I took him to the hospital the night I found him. I only wanted to check if he was all right."

"That sounds reasonable, but it doesn't convince me. Interested or not, you must admit, Navarro-sempai is quite a dish."

Hotaru sighed, so much for time for herself. "Hai, I'll admit it. He is handsome."

"Hai. And just the personality I was hoping for."

"What do you mean?"

"I've been keeping track of him. Had to miss a few classes, but it was worth it. This morning he was sent out to stand in the hallway for bickering. When the sensei scolded him, he answered with some pretty nasty language." She sighed longingly. "Handsome, rebellious and foul-mouthed, just the guy for me."

Hotaru rolled her eyes. "Then why are you spending time talking to your friend, instead of going after him like you usually do?"

Reiko leaned back and shrugged, "Oh I will. I'll just let you go after him first since you're more likely to succeed."

"Nani?"

"Since school ended and during this whole while we were talking," Reiko pointed to a place behind her violet-eyed friend, "he's been checking you out."

Hotaru turned around as fast as she could. Yes indeed, Navarro-sempai was there. Quickly, he hid behind a wall, not quick enough to avoid brief eye contact. Slowly, Hotaru went back to her original position blushing horribly. Reiko smelled blood in the water and went for the kill.

"Carlos and Hotaru sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G, first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes Hotaru pushing a baby carriage."

"Will you cut that out?" Hotaru's voice came out harsher than she expected. Reiko was surprised, she didn't think she had pushed her friend that far, but decided to stop. Hotaru was shocked from her behavior as well. She was going to apologize when they heard a garbage can crash into something.

"That came from—"

"Where Navarro-sempai is. Let's go!"

Carlos cursed himself again and again for being caught like that. Even with his speed he felt the girl look at him straight in the eye, even through his sunglasses. Why was he ogling her in the first place anyway? He knew there would be nothing more.

"_I keep telling you. All your thoughts and emotions must be in place in order for them to work for you._" Guardian sat on Carlos shoulder. It tired him to see his ward progress so slowly, but it was also fun to see him trip over his own clumsiness. Maybe he wasn't that old after all.

"You want me to say it, don't you? Okay, I feel something between that girl and I. Ever since that night when she took me to the hospital." He was silent for a while. "Do you think that while she held me at that alley, I unconsciously took something from her?"

"_Very doubtful. Your powers were not to manifest until much later. Nothing could have gone through between you._"

That wasn't entirely true, something did happen between them. Carlos remembered when he pulled himself out of the water. His lungs painfully receiving air after one year, his heart beating and pumping blood into empty veins. He felt cold and feeble like a newborn babe. He wandered aimlessly, his senses overflowing, plus other senses which mankind had long learned to neglect because of 'progress'. But once that girl took him into her arms and drew him to the warmth of her breast. He felt protected. He felt that nothing would bring him harm, not as long as she held him. He felt safe, he felt warm, he felt… Good, that simple word was the best way to describe that moment.

Suddenly, Carlos realized something. He didn't recall having that felling while he was alive. Even though he had partial amnesia, something that strong could not have been just forgotten. Maybe he never did have that feeling at all. _Dios. Did I really keep myself that isolated? Maybe I should—_.

The flapping of Guardian's wings brought him back to reality. Without a word he flew off. Then Carlos saw the reason. The other kid he had argued with this morning was coming towards him, in quite a foul mood.

"There you are," the kid started, "What's the big idea? Getting me out on the hall to balance a water-bucket over my head?"

"What are you bitching about?" Carlos retorted, "I got sent out too, right?"

"But I was never placed in that sort of situation before. Do you know how embarrassing that was?"

Carlos got up. "What do you want me to do? Apologize?" The kid nodded. "Well forget it. I never take back what I say. Especially when it's the truth." He started to walk away but the kid stopped him.

"You're not leaving. And look at me when I'm talking to you!"

"Don't touch the glasses," Carlos warned. He used his normal voice. He didn't want to scare him that much. Maybe that's why he paid no heed.

The kid took the glasses away and looked into Carlos' eyes. The instant he saw that blackness, he nearly fainted.

"Told you." Carlos grabbed the kid and shoved him away as far as he could, in human terms. He crashed right into a garbage bin.

"Navarro-san!" Carlos turned to the one who called his name. Great, it was his teacher. "Somehow I knew you'd get into more trouble."

"Hey, it's not my fault! He's the one who—"

"He did nothing! I saw **you **start the fight. Now come along."

Carlos grumbled and reluctantly followed. Maybe school wasn't such a hot idea after all.

"_I'll keep searching for our prey. Try not to get into more trouble, Warrior._"

Carlos grumbled louder, giving his teacher the wrong impression.

Hotaru and Reiko watched from afar. "I keep telling you," the latter said, "he gets better and better. So, are you going after him?"

"That's your style Reiko-san, not mine. If I ever was to do anything, I'll wait for the right time."

"Hotaru-chan!"

Hotaru turned, it was Minako, she and Ami were going to pick her and Makoto and take them to Hikawa for the meeting. "I've got to go Reiko-san, see you tomorrow."

"Bye-bye. And remember, some things have to be thought over, but sometimes," Reiko gave out a curious grin, "it's best to just act."

As three inners and one outer headed towards the Hikawa temple, they reviewed what they knew about Karasu, even though they're knowledge on the subject was practically nil.

"Setsuna-mama promised to tell us what she knows about him." Hotaru leaned back and frowned. "She's been more elusive about this subject than any other she's had to reveal. If I didn't know better I'd say she's actually scared."

"Setsuna-san scared? No way," Minako quipped, "After all she must have seen, I don't think there's anything that can faze her. Trust me, she's okay."

"Mina-chan, are you sure **you're** okay?" Ami asked, concern in her tone, "I mean, you're acting too fancy-free after what you've been through."

Minako gave her a don't-worry-be-happy smile. "Don't worry, Ami-chan. You know that it takes a lot to frighten Mina-P here. Especially more than a couple of devil angels."

"Minako! You and Saori were almost raped and murdered. Does it make sense that you should be so calm after that?"

Minako was taken a bit by surprise by Mako's outburst. She took a deep breath and started talking. "Look, I know that I should be a little…shaken up by all of this. But strangely enough, I don't feel scared at all." She spun her hands around her head gesturing. "It's almost as if something just took the fright away."

Ami sighed. "All right, Mina-chan. But if something wrong happens. Please talk to us about it." Minako nodded. "And by the way, that's 'Hell's angels' not devil."

Minako face-faulted and the rest laughed.

As usual Carlos walked back home, Guardian sitting on his shoulder. In his jacket was a note to his parents, one that read about his nasty behavior. He snorted, _how am supposed to make papá read this. Voodoo?_

"_What troubles you warrior?_"

"The fact that you can't track down Chris and the rest. It's been over a day. How much longer will I be able to wait?" Carlos was sincerely desperate. He came back from the dead to fulfill a mission. Who knows what would happen if he failed.

Guardian did his best to calm down his ward. "_If you mean how much time we can stay, the answer is: indefinite. You will stay in this realm until what is wrong is set right._"

"So I just kill those four other jerks and I can go back to my family? Sounds too easy."

"_I said when wrong is set right, not when your thirst for vengeance is quenched._"

Carlos was about to ask what the hell that meant when he came to a stop. "Did you hear that?"

"_Rather ask if I felt that and I'll answer yes,_" Guardian responded as he flew up to a lamppost.

Carlos took a different route every time he went back to the nest. On this occasion, he passed in front of an old warehouse. That's where he heard a low moan and Guardian sensed someone in distress.

Carlos passed his hand over his face and let Karasu's appear. "Go over to that window, Guardian. Let's check out what's inside." The bird did so and what Karasu saw through crow-vision appalled him. Several people were in there, wrapped in some sort of cocoons. He waited for no explanation and started to work his way in.

"_Wait, Warrior. The workings here are not human. Who knows what you might face?_"

"And who knows what they have faced," Karasu answered as he twisted the lock off the door, "I'm going in."

Guardian could only sit by the window to observe and wait. If his suspicions were correct, he might have to break that 'no interference' rule.

Karasu approached the captives carefully. They weren't in cocoons as he originally thought, just bound by a sort of metallic ribbon. The captives were: three children, two teenage girls, an elderly couple and a young woman, dead. By the gaunt expression on the faces of some, they probably had been here for days without being fed. The woman must have passed away from starvation. _Who or what can do something like this? When I find that hijo de perra, he'll answer to me_. He grabbed a ribbon in order to snap it. He was shocked and blown away by 500 volts! "_Ay buey!_ What the hell was that?" He took a few deep breaths to regain composure. _Security system, better look for a fuse box_. A sound was heard at each side of the room. Karasu pulled out his guns. "Who's there?" Out of the shadows and from opposing sides, came the most sinister creatures Karasu ever saw. Male and female. Most of their bodies were completely human; the head however, was that of a shrew. They were dressed only with loincloths. Last detail: the male was copper red and the female steel blue.

"Nice costumes," Karasu chided as he cocked the guns, "but I got dibs on scary appearance." He fired at both simultaneously. The bullets just ricocheted of their bodies. Before Karasu could react, each shrew raised its hand. The guns flew out of his hands! _Magnets! _"So what, I don't need guns to beat you guys." He charged towards the red one and let out a barrage of punches. When he was done, it seemed the one who took the most damage had been Karasu. His knuckles were bleeding while the shrew didn't bear a mark. _These guys are made out of metal!_ "YAA!" He was suddenly showered by something from behind. The blue female had magnetized some ball bearings that were in a crate and threw them at Karasu. "You'll pay for that you—Wha?" The moment Karasu turned, the male grabbed him and held him overhead. Next, he tossed him over to the female. As she picked Karasu up, he drew out a third gun, of stronger caliber. He fired, pointblank, straight into her chest. Maybe the blow didn't hurt her, but she did cringe in pain. He turned to check on the male, he was also lurching. _Órale, I only have to beat one of them._ He was going to fire again when the gun was yanked out of his hand. Giving Karasu no time to react, the female threw herself over Karasu, pinning him down. She held him with one hand and cocked the other for a punch.

"I'm going to be sore in the morning," Karasu whimpered.

"Damn it! What's wrong with this thing?" The radio had been playing one of Minako's favorite singles from the 'Three lights'. Just when the song had gotten to the best part, the melody was replaced by static.

"The station probably went off air for a while," Hotaru said over the blonde's shoulder, "that sort of thing happens sometimes."

Suddenly the ground started to shake. Makoto had to struggle with the wheel in order not to lose control. Haruka would've been proud of those moves. The brunette looked back, "What was that? An earthquake?"

"Ie," Ami replied, "It's a—"

A twelve-foot tall, four-armed, black, metallic armadillo, burst out from under the street. The shrews Karasu was fighting at the warehouse were the armadillo's spawn. All three were connected, and when Karasu damaged the female, her creator felt the pain also. This is what caused him to come out into the open. From its mouth dropped a young man wrapped in a black ribbon. The armadillo shook its head and looked at the four girls. A fanged sneer was drawn on its snout. It wasn't planning to take such fine young specimens to its lair tonight. It wasn't expecting the following either.

"Mercury crisis power,"

"Jupiter crisis power,"

"Venus crisis power,"

"Saturn crisis power,"

"MAKE UP!"

"Shabon spray!" With the armadillo disoriented, the senshi hurried to its released prey. According to Mercury's visor he was okay physically, just unconscious. "Jupiter, get him to a safe place. We don't want him caught up in the middle of this."

"Hai." Jupiter tried to pick him up and was shocked as a result. If her powers weren't of an electrical nature, she would have hurt a lot. "I can't pick him up. There's a sort of barrier surrounding him."

"Then let me try. Venus love link chain." Very carefully, the chain entwined the young man and picked him up. "I'll get him to safety, you guys take care of rat-boy over there."

The other three senshi nodded and redirected their attention to the armadillo, which was now coming out of the mist. It scanned each of its adversaries to figure out who posed the biggest threat. Jupiter solved its doubts.

"Supreme thunder!" The attack hit the armadillo square in the chest, but it just crackled along its metallic skin. "Damn! Mercury, what are we up against?"

Sailor Mercury analyzed through her visor. "Its skin is metal and it has a large reserve of magnetic energy," her eyes went wide, "And it's increasing exponentially!" Indeed, the armadillo had all four arms stretched out in front of him, energy crackling between its hands.

Sailor Venus rejoined her teammates. "I got the guy to a safe place. How are we doing here?" The armadillo spread out its arms, sending out a magnetic wave towards the senshi. It slammed into them with tremendous force, sending them flying away and crashing into a wall. Venus raised her head groggily. "That bad, huh?"

Saturn got to her feet and stepped towards the armadillo, it approached her. "Okay, let's see how you like being blasted." She raised her weapon. "Silence glaive-" but just as she was going to strike the ground, it didn't budge. "Nani?"

Mercury realized what was going on. "Saturn, release the glaive!"

Instead, Saturn tightened her grip on the weapon. "YIEEH!" The armadillo flung the glaive away and the silent senshi along with it.

"Saturn!" Venus called out, "It's metallic, ne? Let's call Mars then, maybe she can melt it down."

"I'm afraid we can't reach her or the others," Mercury answered.

"What are you talking about?"

"Remember the radio? That thing's magnetic field interferes with transmissions. We won't be able to send out or receive any messages."

"In other words…" Venus asked pitifully.

"We're on our own."

Jupiter saw the armadillo start to levitate a number of cars and other large objects. "That is just great."

In the meantime, Karasu was having a terrible time dealing with the shrews. One of them would beat him up for a while and then throw him over to its partner. Also, they threw every object they could at him. Tools, appliances, scrap, everything metallic, all brought out from boxes that lay around in the warehouse. Every cut or broken bone was almost immediately healed. Of course, this meant that if the shrews were planning to beat him to death, this was going to be an all-nighter.

The red male held him in a full nelson for a while then tossed him away. _Great,_ Karasu thought, _guess it's the lady's turn_. The blue female took a few steps forward and stopped; she looked around for something to throw and decided on a set on cogs. That's when Karasu realized that neither of them had moved more than a few feet from their original position. _They have to keep a distance from each other!_ The female began her attack and Karasu was quick to block it. That pause in battle allowed him to recover some of his strength.

"Guardian, are you watching this?"

"_It is my job, is it not?_"

"No jokes! I need something I can use as an anchor."

Guardian looked around for something of the sort. "_To your left, about twenty feet_."

Karasu looked over to where Guardian had pointed out and saw a metal pole. Now, how was he going to get it? In a split second, he grabbed one of the cogs and threw it at the male with all of his might. As he expected, the magnetism added extra momentum. The projectile struck the male, effectively blinding him; the female reacted in the same fashion. Not wasting a moment, Karasu sprinted and grabbed the pole, next he charged towards the male. The red shrew recovered his sight and tried to control the pole, but it was too late. With all the strength he could muster, Karasu thrust the pole through the shrew's chest and into the floor, completely immobilizing him. He then turned his attention to the female, who was contorting with pain. He ran towards her and pulled on her arms, but he was too tired and slow, the female pulled back. What followed was a deadly tug-of-war. Karasu was weakened by all the attack he received and although the female was also in bad shape, she was in better condition.

Karasu felt himself moving forward against his will, he had to get these two closer. His strength was draining fast and his dark stare had no effect on these creatures. Then his eyes lit up, he stopped pulling and pushed with all his might. Taken by surprise by the sudden change in balance, the blue female fell backwards and rolled over. As soon as Karasu's back was against the floor, he planted his feet on the female's stomach and pushed again.

"Damn it all!" The female shrew landed just a few feet away from him, much closer than he expected to throw her. She got up and made a motion towards Karasu, but couldn't move. Instead, she started to slide back, flaying her arms wildly. Karasu looked at the male who was also beginning to move. "_Sí! _It worked." Karasu had figured out earlier that each shrew had an opposite charge, and if they got close together…

Slowly at first, then picking up speed, the shrews crashed into each other. Electricity surged around them as they floated in mid air. After a moment they fell and their colors faded, turning into a dull gray. Karasu took a deep breath; finally, he'd won.

"Jupiter oak revolution!" The razor sharp leaves scarred the metallic skin, but did little damage to the four-armed beast. So far the senshi had done a good job surviving. The armadillo was too slow to strike them and its aim was even poorer. "Mercury, can't that calculator of yours come up with anything useful?"

Mercury pressed the buttons on her computer frantically. "It's risky but there's a chance that electricity is its weak spot."

"Nani?" Venus went wide-eyed. "Mercury, magnets and electricity are related. Even I know that."

"Hai, but it's possible that we can overcharge it. The problem is, that armor absorbs the energy. We have to break through it."

"And the only one who could do that is Saturn," Jupiter observed, "Where is she?"

The sound of battle brought Saturn back to the waking world. Slowly she opened her eyes and tried to recognize her surroundings. From the look of things, it seemed she'd landed on a rooftop. She tried getting up, every muscle in her body screamed in protest. She kept still and let the pain subside. She listened again; apparently she didn't land far from where the other senshi were fighting. She could rejoin them in no time. She listened with more attention, there was a second battle going on, right underneath her! She got up, slowly this time, and walked towards the skylight. She halted in surprise when a bright flash came out of there. Once recovered she looked inside, "Ie! I've got to stop him!"

"Shine aqua illusion!" The armadillo became frozen, but it would break out soon. It started to throw items at itself. "He's going to break free at any second. We gotta go find Saturn."

Venus decided to take charge. "Okay. I'm the fastest, I'll go. Will you two be alright by yourselves?"

"Hai, just—wait a minute!" Mercury couldn't believe the figures her visor showed. The armadillo's power levels were increasing at an alarming rate. Its spawn, the shrews, obtained their power by draining it from their creator. When Karasu destroyed the shrews, the armadillo could use all the power for himself.

With a frightening roar, the beast broke free from the ice. The senshi looked at each other. They had two choices, an all out attack or a tactical retreat. And a defender of justice is not allowed to run. Each inner prepared her strongest blow.

The armadillo placed all four hands on the ground. Just as the senshi were about to unleash their power, their arms dropped violently. Suddenly their bodies felt incredibly heavy.

"Nani? What's going on?"

"Enhanced gravity," Venus answered, "Sailor Moon told me once that Rubeus used it against her." The weight upon her increased and she fell to her knees. "I never thought it would feel like this."

The gravity increased again. Now, only Jupiter was able to stay on her feet. "Sp-sparkling…wuh…wiide…" She too fell. "G-guess we use the emergency plan," Jupiter chuckled sarcastically, "wait around for a miracle."

Karasu flexed his arms. He felt good as new, wonderful thing regeneration. Now he had to get those people out of here. As he walked to them, something caught his attention. He picked up the item, it was a black katana. He always liked swords, and this one looked top quality. _Cool, I always wanted one of these_. Placing the sheath on his back, he approached one of the children and raised the weapon. He brought it down with full force; it bounced into a sort of barrier.

"_Qué?_ They got a force field now?"

"That would be me." Karasu turned and found Sailor Saturn in an imposing pose. "I don't know what your game is, baka, but I won't let you harm these people."

"_Qué?_ No, you got it all wrong, I—"

"Quiet!" Saturn's voice demanded respect and fear, "I won't listen to your excuses. Even if you seemed to help Mina-san."

Karasu's gaze darkened, he gripped the katana and took a battle stance. "How about moving over there? You don't want these people hurt, do you?" Saturn nodded and they both inched their way to a clear part of the warehouse; which was wider now after the fight with the shrews.

"_Warrior, what are you doing? You're no match for Lady Saturn! Flee!_"

"_Cállate! La chamaca_ here is going to get a lesson in manners."

"_La chamaca_," Saturn retorted, "will give you the lesson. And who are you talking to anyway?"

"That is none of your business. Now get ready!" he gripped the katana with both hands and readied a battle stance.

Saturn followed suit. "My guardian is the planet of silence, Saturn. I am the senshi of death and rebirth, Sailor Saturn!"

"Death and rebirth?" Karasu took a good look at his opponent. Pale skin, deceptively fragile build and eyes as cold as ice. Only hers shone violet and his were black and opaque. "So, the senshi have an undead among them. That makes the fight more even."

"Nani?"

"Enough talk, fight!" Karasu charged, katana up front. He was so fast Saturn was barely able to block. Both of them pushed against the other, trying to get the upper hand. Saturn ducked and swiped Karasu with a low kick. Not expecting that move, he fell like a ton of bricks. He saw Saturn bring the weapon down, right at his chest! Reacting just as quickly, he blocked it with his sword. Saturn was truly surprised. The Silence glaive was supposed to cut through anything. What kind of a sword was that? Seeing an opening, Karasu drove a kick into Saturn's side. Saturn wobbled from the pain and Karasu rolled away from her. They stood face to face, measuring each other's strength. Both charged at the same time, engaging in a fencing match.

Guardian witnessed everything from overhead. He could not believe what he saw. He expected the warrior to end up chopped in half. Instead, he was fighting head to head with one of the deadliest senshi. Maybe Lady Saturn was in a weakened condition. No, she was near to full power. Was the warrior just as strong as Lady Saturn? If that was true, then it could only mean…

Saturn smashed Karasu's face with the glaive's handle. Karasu spun with the blow and elbowed Saturn in the gut. He set some distance among them as she gasped for air.

Saturn wiped the blood of her mouth and gave Karasu a satisfied smile. In the lapse of one minute, they had exchanged a good number of blows, cuts and bruises. Saturn smiled because she was actually enjoying herself. "You are a very though fighter, for a demon-kabuki."

"You're not too shabby yourself," the undead warrior replied, "for a purple-eyed witch."

Saturn gritted her teeth. "Don't call me that. I hate that!"

Karasu sneered and made his most annoying Rob Schneider impression, "Witchmeister, witchie-boo, triple w, wicked witch of the west—"

"Silence glaive surprise!" The following blast was so big it blocked Saturn's line of vision. Once the dust settled, there was no trace of Karasu. But she knew he was still there somewhere. She started to look around. "Come on out. Unless you're too scared," she taunted. She heard a nail drop and snapped, breathing heavily, she saw no one there. _Calm down, Saturn, he's just playing with your mind_.

Karasu smiled as he watched from the shadows. He had succeeded in angering, thus obfuscating her. All he had to do now was get her to where he wanted.

Slowly, Saturn was led via shadows and noises. This little 'cat and mouse' game was getting to her nerves. "I'm getting tired of this. Either you come out or I'll shred the floor until I find you."

"Why shred the floor when I'm on the ceiling?"

Saturn looked up and found her adversary. Karasu jumped down holding a rope. The other end was on the floor, forming a loop, around Saturn's feet. Her back hit the floor when she was pulled upwards, causing her to drop her glaive. In a second she was hanging upside down and helpless.

Karasu walked towards her and examined his handiwork. Saturn blushed furiously, from her defeat, from the humiliating position she was in and from what her dropped fuku was now revealing.

"I must confess. You have one of the cutest butts I have seen." He spanked her with the flat of his katana. "Maybe you should lose the skirt altogether." Saturn growled in response. Karasu just shrugged and went back to the victims.

"Matte! What are you doing?"

Karasu raised his katana. "Just going to finish what you interrupted." Saturn struggled helplessly against her bonds. But even if she had gotten free, it would be too late. She watched helplessly as he hacked, sliced, cleaved and…set each one of them on the ground carefully. She then recognized the bonds holding those people.

"You, you were only going to free them."

"Don't worry about it. I'm used to having people wrongfully accusing me."

Saturn's eyes went down, or up, in shame. She'd let her battle lust overcome her good judgement. "Gomen, I should have—Hey! Where are you going?"

"To get help for these people," Karasu answered, "Don't worry, I'm sure they'll get you down," he added with a smirk.

"Matte, my friends are fighting the daimon who captured these people. You've got to let me get to them!"

Karasu stared at her for a moment then raised his head. "Guardian, go search." He stood motionless for a while. Saturn grew desperate seeing him like that. "I see them," he said, "and they seem to be losing." He ran for the exit.

"Hey! You're not just gonna leave me here are you?"

"Sorry, can't waste time."

"But you can't…" Karasu was already gone. Saturn struggled against her bond for a while before she finally gave up. She let out a breath of exasperation. "Karasu no shi? Che! Karasu no baka is more like it."

The armadillo beast was dumbfounded. It had already increased the gravity pull twenty fold and still, those humans were alive.

Despite the painful pressure, Mercury saw something on her visor that managed to make her smile slightly. The armadillo couldn't move while its gravity attack was activated and its energies were starting to fade. Eventually, it would have not choice but to release them, unless she and her friends were crushed first. The fight had turned into a match to see who could outlast the other.

Venus moaned in pain. "Guys, I can't hold out much longer."

"Don't give up yet Venus," Mercury called out, "One more minute and were free."

"Or senshi-crepes," Jupiter said. She gathered her strength and tried to get up, she only managed to raise her head. As she opened her eyes she saw a dark blur head for the beast. "Nani? What's that?"

Karasu leapt from out of nowhere, landed on the armadillo's head and thrust his sword straight into its crown. The beast roared in agony. The senshi almost flew off the ground at the sudden release. Jupiter looked up at Karasu. He sent her back a glance and jumped off, leaving the sword in place. Jupiter understood.

"Supreme thunder!" The katana caught the electricity and sent it straight into the beast's skull. It shook and shrieked as its brain got fried. Finally it stopped moving and fell to its knees, dead. Karasu jumped up again to retrieve his katana. All three senshi stared at him. Standing tall over the fallen beast, weapon in hand and the crow, with still open wings, on his shoulder. All of this, plus the dusk acting as a background, made a very impressive sight.

"You'll find your friend in a warehouse yonder," he pointed the direction with the katana, "There are also some people who need medical attention." That said, he dropped behind the smoking carcass.

Jupiter ran after him. "Hold it! Is Saturn all right? What happened to her?" She vaulted over the carcass. "Answer…me?" She looked around, but Karasu had vanished into thin air. "Look at that. And I thought Saturn had been seeing things."

Somewhere in time, sometime in space:

Sailor Pluto turned away from the stream of time disappointed. Usually, when the need for information arose, she would find what she was searching for with just a glance. Now, she could not find anything. She was expecting this to happen though. There were some things that she just couldn't know.

She stepped out of her realm and into her room. She glimpsed at the clock on her drawer and remembered the meeting at the Hikawa temple. Better make haste; tardiness would put a severe mark on the senshi of time's reputation.

Whirlpool Compound:

Poe examined the scene before him carefully. Blaze was still where Hawkins had left him. He was almost motionless, but if you looked closely, you would notice the slight tics he displayed every once in a while. Also, Blaze's fingers were gripping the arms of the chair so tightly, his fingernails were bleeding. One was even bent out of place.

Blaze's health didn't matter to Poe; he had more important subjects in mind. A monitor to his right displayed: energy charged, 97.85. But he didn't need to look at it to know how much power was in the redhead's body, he could tell by just looking.

Poe tapped his foot impatiently. _Any moment soon, now! _He placed his hands together; index and pinky fingers extended and chanted something in a cryptic language. There was a pentagram pattern on the floor around the chair that Blaze hadn't noticed. The lines and runes began to glow a light blue. Bluish smoke started to rise and surround Blaze. Poe finished the chant and took a deep breath, that spell had been a bit more tiring that he expected. "A few years ago I could cast that enchantment a hundred times without breaking a sweat. I must be getting old," he shrugged and approached Blaze's still form. "Heh, no matter. Before you realize it, you and that impertinent Chris, will have more power than you ever dreamed." He put his mouth closer to Blaze's ear and chuckled evilly. "And then, I will own you two."


	5. Death and Rebirth 5

****

Death and Rebirth

Chapter five:

Crow's nest:

"All in all, I'd say this encounter with the senshi didn't go so bad," Carlos told Guardian as he bandaged the wounds Saturn had made.

"_I am unable to tell whether that encounter will affect us in a positive or negative way_," Guardian commented, "_You aided three of the senshi, possibly saved their lives. But when confronted by Lady Saturn, you attacked in earnest. And at the end you chose to leave her humiliated, even though you proved your alignment. What were you thinking? She is not the most powerful of the senshi, but in battle she is, to place it in earthly terms, a though cookie._"

"Well, when we fought we seemed to be evenly matched. And I turned out the winner," he boasted, "Maybe those girl scouts aren't as tough as you say they are." His expression then became serious as he flexed his arm. "Or maybe I'm stronger than I thought," he said, more to himself.

Guardian frowned upon Carlos' arrogance, but he had raised a good point. Every messenger and guardian in Coronis knows about the power of warriors and senshi. Even though only a few messengers could become guardians, and therefore guide the warriors. And from the whole planet, only two individuals had the honor to meet the senshi of the solar system. Now, every guardian knows that a warrior is much stronger than a mortal, but a senshi is infinitely stronger than a warrior. Saturn should have sliced him in half at the first second. But Carlos Navarro couldn't be the one to become… "_You haven't answered my question, Warrior,_" Guardian insisted, "_Why did you fight Lady Saturn?_"

Carlos got up, twirling the katana in his hands. "If someone accuses me of being a murderer, I'll admit it. I have killed and I am not afraid of doing it again if need be." In one swift motion, he sliced the katana through a column. "She thought I was going to murder a child!" Carlos roared, "How dare she compare me with those creeps who raped and murdered my mother and sister!?" He sliced the column again; two large pieces fell upon the floor. "I'm not like those monsters!"

"That is true, you are not a monster," Guardian replied calmly. "But tell me. Are you taking care that you don't become one?"

Carlos turned to Guardian, surprise written all over his face. How could he ask him such a question? But more than a question, it was meant to be a warning.

Carlos kept exercising for a few minutes. The he struck out conversation again. "You know Guardian? I've noticed something."

"_What is it, Warrior?_"

Carlos walked up to the bird. "How you keep referring to the senshi as 'ladies'. I know you have a protocol to keep, but isn't that a bit too much."

"_It is not too much. And there is a reason for me to refer to them by title,_" Guardian pointed out, "_I thought at first that you should keep your distance from them. But now, I believe it best that you become informed on the subject of the Silver Kingdom_."

Carlos' expression went blank. "Silver Kingdom?"

Guardian glanced to the heavens. He ordered every word and phrase he was going to use. "_The senshi are the reincarnation of a royal court. From a kingdom that existed on Earth's Moon millennia ago_."

"A Moon kingdom? You're pulling my leg."

"_You have come back from the grave, have you not? Would you have believed that such a thing was possible a year ago?_" Carlos shut his mouth. Guardian continued, "_The Silver kingdom was a golden age. War, disease and famine were quite unheard of. Even death was a rarity back then. I hadn't even hatched at that time_."

Carlos' eyes widened in mock surprise. "And here I am, thinking you're as old as time." Guardian frowned. "Hey it's a joke. _Aliviánate, no?_"

Guardian continued his narrative. "_Peace was not to last. A dark force appeared, threatening to consume it all. The Moon kingdom and those of the other planets, being ill prepared, fell quickly_." Guardian's tone became saddened. "_Before the war, the messengers were a few hundreds. Afterwards, we became legion_."

Carlos nodded in understanding. He read in history books just how many casualties they'd been in twentieth century wars. Imagine whole planets being wiped out. "I take it that's when you hatched."

"_No. My generation appeared along with the birth of civilization. Right after mankind left the Stone Age for good_." Guardian cocked his head. "_If you think about it, I'm actually quite young_."

Carlos snickered. "Compared to what?" They both laughed a while. "Still, your story doesn't explain why I should keep away from them?"

Guardian became serious again. "_Protection. Your own, theirs and this world's_." Carlos gave Guardian a confused look. "_I've seen mankind suffer great losses and reach greater goals. But this century, it has been one failure after another_." Guardian set his eyes upon the stars. "_The return of the senshi heralds a new era, one of perpetual peace. It's quite possible that your mission will get out of control, as it happened to many warriors before you_." He gazed into Carlos' eyes. "_If we risk the life of the princess, we risk the whole world's future_."

Carlos nodded. "Indeed. I must be very careful with the future;" he got up and started pacing around, "especially now that I DON'T HAVE ONE!" He bolted into a room, not before punching a hole into the wall.

Guardian shook his head saddened_. Lady Phobos, Lady Deimos, please guide us_.

Hikawa shrine, sundown:

Three outer senshi, two lunar cats and the future rulers of Earth waited inside Rei's guestroom. The three couples discussed about Karasu, the drones and how they were related. They tried to talk Setsuna into telling them what she knew, but she insisted in waiting for the others to arrive. Plus, it was Ami who had called the meeting and what she had to say came first. As always, there was no way to convince Setsuna otherwise.

There was one thing out of place in the room. A strange looking machine was placed on top of the TV set. Ami and Setsuna had placed it there and connected it earlier. Rei objected, but Ami explained they needed to be at an area where they would receive as little interference as possible. And Hikawa was the best location.

Usagi turned her head and saw Rei sitting in the corridor, looking at the sky. She couldn't see her face, but her strong sense of empathy told her that something worried her friend. She excused herself and went outside.

Rei looked up to the heavens trying to find something out of place. A few nights ago, during that storm, she had felt something, something oddly familiar. Then it disappeared. Why?

"Penny for your thoughts, Rei-chan."

Rei turned and saw that distinctive hairstyle, framing that always-welcome smile. "Just trying to clear my mind, Usagi. It's a lot easier out here than inside with your endless chatter."

Usagi sat down. "Don't hide it from me, Rei-chan, something troubles you." She waited a while, hoping the fire senshi would answer. Getting none, she tried to guess. "Ami-chan and the others are a little late. You're hoping nothing has happened to them. Is that it?"

"Ie, I stopped worrying about people being late some time ago." She turned with a little smirk on her lips. "I guess you wore it out of me."

"Yeah, I guess…Hey!" Usagi poked the shrine maiden in the ribs, she countered with a tickle attack. Usagi ended up yielding.

"The truth is, Usagi, I'm a little concerned about Phobos and Deimos."

"Your crows?" Usagi looked up. There they were, circling over the shrine. They did seem a bit restless. "What's wrong with them?"

"I don't know. Remember that storm from the other night? They've been acting like that since then."

Usagi remembered that storm quite well. It was one of the worst she had ever seen in her life, including the ones created by youmas. The thunder frightened her so much she had to hold on to Mamoru all night. Hey, maybe it wasn't such a bad night after all. "Haven't they told you anything?"

"They can't talk like Luna or Artemis, Usagi."

"They can in their sprite form, ne?" All the senshi knew about the crows' ability, similar to the cats', although they rarely used it. "So, have they?"

"No they haven't." Rei looked up again. "In truth, I never needed for them to talk. We always knew what was in each other's hearts. When you're really close to someone, all you need is a glance to know what's going on." She turned to Usagi. "Just like you do." The blonde girl smiled back. "But now I'm in a blank. It feels like they want to hide something from me."

They sat there for a while in silence, until Usagi looked up and saw four people approach. "Well, there's Mina-chan and the rest. Guess it's time for the powwow." As she got to her feet, she noticed that her friends looked a bit tired and Hotaru was in a sour mood. "What happened to you guys?"

"Oh, not much," Minako answered absently, "just a little fight with a daimon."

"And I had a duel with the Karasu," Hotaru added.

"Nani?" Setsuna had stepped out to greet Hotaru. She ran up to her and checked her with parental concern.

"Setsuna-mama, I'm all right," Hotaru assured her. "In truth, it wasn't more than a little scuffle. He didn't really try to hurt me."

"Not badly at least," Minako said, "although he did win the match by the looks of things." A dash of laughter mixed in with her words, "When we found Hotaru-chan she was—" She went dumb when Hotaru turned to look at her, her eyes flashing violet for an instant. "…Er, with a badly bruised ego."

Rei held out her hand. "At any rate, let's get inside and you can tell us exactly what happened."

Once indoors, Makoto retold the encounter with the armadillo, while Ami and Setsuna made some last adjustment to the set.

"Finally, Karasu tells us where Hotaru-chan is and disappears before we can talk to him. Boy do my arms feel light."

"I guess that's proves it," Usagi said, "If he saved Mako-chan and the others, he has to be our ally."

"It doesn't prove that Usako." Usagi stared at her husband in surprise. "He did aid Makoto-tachi and saved several other people."

"He saved my skin twice I might add," Minako interrupted.

"But his actions at the hospital and at the alley where Haruka-tachi confronted him, say that his methods are quite questionable." Mamoru cupped his chin. "Not to mention that he tries to keep away from us. He has proved not to be our foe, but making him an ally will take much more work."

"A lot of work," Haruka piped up, "especially considering what he did to Hime-chan."

Hotaru had taken off her blazer. On her arms, the others could see a number of bruises and cuts. Nothing serious, but enough to enrage Haruka. "Haruka-papa, I attacked him. I thought he was going to kill those people and charged without bothering to find out." She rubbed her side wincing. "Plus, if he had wanted to hurt me, I don't think I'd be here right now."

"Okay, we're ready here," Ami called out. Everyone turned their attention to the azure-haired girl. "Now, I called for this meeting because of this object I found at the hospital. As you can see from this insignia," she pointed at the whirlpool emblem, "we can tell who owns it." She turned on the set. On the screen, the silhouettes of the senshi appeared. Silver, gold, amber, red, all of their respective colors. Artemis noted that, while all the images were stable, Hotaru's figure was flickering somewhat. He was about to comment on this when Ami spoke again.

"When Setsuna-san and I first tried to analyze this thing. It short circuited and a good deal of components became useless."

"It must have been a safety mechanism so that we couldn't track down the maker," Setsuna continued, "Using the Mercury computer we've tried to rebuild it, but we could only get it to run at 60 of its capacity."

"So this is what you've gotten so far," Rei noted, "a Kirlian camera."

"Nope." The Emerald haired woman pulled out a crystal from the gadget and threw it at Rei. "We also found this."

Rei turned the crystal around for a while before asking. "And this is…"

"An energy-drainer." Ami answered. Rei dropped the thing like a hot potato. "Don't worry, it won't zap you completely. It's designed to take the life force away in a slow but steady pace. You don't feel anything, only minor drowsiness if you're exposed to it for an extended period."

Usagi picked up the crystal. "Very clever. Unlike Jadeite who had to put up a big show for his capers."

Haruka turned to Usagi. "Jadeite. Was that the guy who organized talent shows and sales to get life energy for Beryl?"

"Yep. The guy was so obvious that we could foil his plans in two wags of a cat's tail."

Luna eyed Usagi. "As I recall Usagi-chan, you were often suckered into Jadeite's plans."

"Hey! I was young and naïve back then," Usagi said to defend herself. This didn't keep the other from laughing though. "Laugh it up guys. I'm sure it's funny now."

After a while Rei took the crystal again. "But it doesn't make sense. Why take energy from a hospital? People there are in a weakened condition. Not much can be taken from them."

"Maybe the crystal just powers up that gizmo," said Minako.

"That's what we thought." Setsuna said, "Until we found out that it only uses a minimal amount of energy. The rest is sent somewhere else for some other purpose."

"Still. Placing an energy draining crystal at a hospital makes no sense." Rei repeated.

"I think the real purpose of this gadget has to do with this." Ami said as she tapped the screen. "What that purpose is exactly, I don't know."

"You think we might find more of these things elsewhere?" Makoto asked after a while.

"I'm almost positive," Ami replied, "I'm working on a sort of tracking program. But it will take some time."

Luna paid full attention to what Ami and Setsuna were saying, then she noticed that her mate kept staring at the TV. "Artemis-kun!" she scolded, "Are you paying attention?"

"I am, Luna-chan," the white cat replied, "I don't think I like what I'm seeing."

Luna raised an eyebrow. What was Artemis talking about? She looked at the screen. "Oh."

"Changing the subject," Usagi started, "Setsuna-san, Haruka-san told us that you might know something about the kabuki guy with the crow."

"Hai," Haruka added, "The first time we saw him, you said something about other warriors before him being damned or something like that."

"If I didn't know you better Setsuna," Michiru commented, "I'd say you're afraid of telling us what you know."

Usagi stared at Setsuna with wide eyes. "You don't think he's a threat to us, ne?" she asked hopefully.

"And you still think he's an ally?" Haruka asked angrily "Usagi-chan, can't you stop being so naïve? We've all met him, and saw the way he acts. He will not work with us, even if you ask him."

Usagi gave Haruka a firm stare and calmly replied: "I believe that you should stop being so cynic." She looked at both Haruka and Michiru and grinned. "In truth, he reminds me of two people who would fight alone against all odds." Everyone turned to look at the two, Michiru in turn, glanced at her love. The ash-blonde pretended not to notice.

"People in glass houses shouldn't play ball, you know," Minako quoted.

"That's throw stones, Mina-chan," Rei corrected. "And in my opinion, this Karasu fellow might actually need our help."

"Nani?"

"Are you saying he might be possessed by a youma or something of the sort?" Makoto asked.

"Ie. When I saw him at the theater. I felt a strong aura around him. It was extremely negative—"

"Told ya!" Haruka interrupted, "He's an enemy."

"I said negative Haruka not evil, there **is** a difference," Rei scolded, "What I felt from him was anger, sadness, fear and most of all: guilt."

Artemis walked up. "I don't know anything about psychology. But from the profile you just described, my guess is: he feels that he failed at something and must now make up for it."

"Don't guess, Artemis-kun," Luna warned, "It is often the best way to make a mistake. And, Setsuna-san, I think it's high time you told us what you know."

Setsuna took a deep breath and sat down. "I guess there's no further avoiding this then."

Ami came over to her friend. "Setsuna-san, if you can't tell us anything because it might affect the timeline, we'll understand."

Setsuna smiled thankfully at her young friend. "Arigato, Ami-chan. But that's not the reason I've been so reluctant." She rested her head between her hands. "My reasons for avoiding this, are not fear like Michiru suspects, nor my habit of keeping you all guessing." She gave a small chuckle. "The truth is: I hardly know anything about Karasu and was too proud to admit my ignorance." Everyone was surprised. Something that the senshi of time didn't know? It wasn't a first but it was still surprising.

"But, Setsuna-mama, how come you said those things at the alley then?"

Setsuna took a more comfortable position and began her tale.

Someplace in time:

In front of a carved door, holding a staff with a garnet jewel on top, stood the guardian of time, Sailor Pluto. How long had it been since the destruction of the silver millenium? She really didn't want to know. And if she knew, what difference would it make? Out here, standing in the void of time, it could either be decades or seconds, they all felt the same.

Her only distraction was to look upon a tiny blue planet. Almost completely healed from the scars of a cosmic war. She witnessed mankind's struggle against the elements, slowly recovering from losses unknown to them now. Finally, a few centuries ago, civilization had finally been achieved. She couldn't interact, she knew that all too well. But watching people go about their daily lives eased her solitude somehow. She wondered if she would ever be a part of something again. She was about to recall a pleasant anecdote from the Silver kingdom when she heard a thump on the door. She spun, ready for combat. No one, except the royal family, could approach the door. Whoever it was, should be prepared to fight. She found no one. Had it been just her imagination? Then she looked down and found a sort of pearl. It was mostly white, but changing colors swirled around. Beside it, wounded and unconscious, laid a crow.

"You mean the one Karasu carries on his shoulder?" Hotaru interrupted.

"One like it Hime-chan. It would be too great a great coincidence if they were the same." Setsuna took a sip from her water. "And this is just the beginning."

Pluto set the crow on her lap and began to pet it. She had torn a piece of the ribbon on the back of her fuku to bandage its wounded wing. She was hoping it would regain consciousness, and not peck her hands. She gave a breath of satisfaction when it opened its eyes, and a gasp when she heard a voice in her mind: "_Who are you?_"

A moment later, after Pluto's heart regained it's normal pace and both had revealed their identities.

"_The Moon kingdom? I thought that no one had survived the war_."

"One survived," Pluto stated sadly. "But I don't blame you for believing that. After all, being messengers of death, your people must have had a heavy duty to accomplish."

"_Oh, I wouldn't know personally_," the messenger corrected. "_I hatched only recently. About the Moon Princess and senshi I have only heard tales._" He hopped closer. "_Tell me. Was it as beautiful as I've heard?_"

Pluto gave a sad smile. "More beautiful than you can imagine." She closed her eyes. "The palaces, the people, every tree, all there was; words alone could never describe it."

The messenger nodded. "_But tell me, Lady Pluto. How is it that you managed to escape?_" Pluto gave the messenger a quick glare. "_No offense, I mean not to call you a coward, er, that is_…"

Pluto gave a kind smile. "Don't worry. I myself wonder if I should have thought more of my friends than my duty." There was a pause. "I suppose I am a coward for not staying."

The messenger pecked himself mentally. "_If my inquiring bothers you, Lady Pluto—_"

"No, It's all right." She took a minute to calm down. "As the senshi Pluto, it is my duty to guard the time gate." She signaled the intricately carved door. "No one is able to enter this realm, at least that's how it's supposed to be." Pluto now took the turn to question him. "And you. How is it that you ended up here of all places?"

"Well…" The messenger shrugged. "My kind is able to cross between worlds, that of the living and the spiritual one."

Pluto narrowed her eyes. "This neither of them though."

"_Well…I'm still new at these assignments. This load was particularly heavy, my wings got tired and I_…"

"You got lost?" Carlos made no attempt to hide his laughter. "The Guardian? The one who's supposed to be my guide and advisor made a wrong turn?"

Guardian waited patiently. He needed the warrior to dispel his excess anger, and making fun of others usually did the trick. "_Should I continue the narrative? Or shall you keep up the hyena impression?_" Carlos signaled for him to go on as the laughing faded. Guardian continued.

Pluto looked at the pearl that the messenger said was his load to carry. "You say this was too heavy?" The pearl was no bigger than a bead. "It doesn't seem to be."

"_Appearances and realities are different things_," the messenger responded, "T_ry lifting it_."

Pluto did so and her arm almost fell off! "This thing weighs a ton! What the hell is it made of?"

"_That pearl is the soul of a soldier who died in a war. As he died, he thought of his family and friends. His wife, child, those he couldn't protect, all of this clings to the soul, making mine a harder journey_." Pluto listened as she rubbed her sore arm. "_But the worse part is hearing it's weeping_."

"Weeping?"

"_You can't hear it?_" Pluto shook her head. "_I shouldn't be surprised,_" the messenger reflected, "_When someone dies, they lament those opportunities they never took in life. It is a mournful and nearly endless weeping_." The messenger sighed. "_You're lucky you can't hear it_."

"Not necessarily," Pluto retorted. The messenger gave a confused look. She explained, "Look around you. Nothing exists here, it is infinite and empty." Sadness appeared in her voice. "I have been alone here for who knows how long. Even the cries of a child would be welcome." She got up and stood proudly. "But I am the guardian of time. My duty is to guard this gate, no matter what I feel." A brave statement, one that didn't convince her much.

The messenger listened carefully. "_Not all company is a blessing, Lady Pluto. My brothers and sisters often mock me because of my empathy._" He looked at the pearl. "_We are supposed to carry these from one world to the next without displaying any emotion. And as much as I dislike it, this is how it must be._" They looked into each other's eyes. "_Ours are truly ungrateful destinies_."

Everyone in the living room felt Setsuna's sadness, even Haruka, who wouldn't show it. Usagi on the other hand let her tears flow freely, Setsuna took notice of this.

"That was long ago, Princess, I have all of you now. There's no need for me to be alone again."

"I know," Usagi, sobbed as Mamoru gently wiped away a tear, "It's just that I, well, you know."

"Well, you know what they say. It's a dirty job, but it has to be done," Minako quoted.

"That's not how it goes," Ami pointed out, "And I even doubt if it's well applied."

"I really hate to be so pushy, Setsuna-san," Makoto interjected, "but you still haven't mentioned the Karasu fellow."

"I haven't forgotten, and the next part of the story covers it."

Time passed, and the messenger's wing healed. It was an enjoyable experience for both. The messenger related few, but very amusing anecdotes. Pluto had shown him different time periods through the gate, even the Silver kingdom. The messenger was amazed at such magnificence. Neither of them wanted this to end, but they had responsibilities.

"Are you sure you'll be able to complete the journey?" Pluto asked concerned.

"_After all this rest, certainly_." He looked at his cargo. "_I wonder if this one will become one of them_," he murmured.

"What was that?"

"_Uh, nothing, it's just…_" Pluto pierced him with an insisting glare, he sighed in resignation. "_Sometimes souls this heavy escape to the world of the living. They wander around aimlessly trying to correct their wrongs. They become what mortals call ghosts_." He picked up the pearl. "_Sometimes the soul is so heavy that it is given the chance to truly return and rid themselves of the pain by correcting their wrongs. But I have overstayed my welcome._" The messenger opened his wings and took flight.

"Matte!" Pluto called out, "What do you mean by returning?"

"_That I can't reveal._" He made one final roundabout to say goodbye. "_Of all the mistakes I have made and will, this one I'll cherish. Farewell, Lady Pluto_."

The time senshi sighed in resignation. "Goodbye, friend. I hope our paths cross again." _Not too soon though_. She watched the crow fly until he was a black speck in the void of time, then it was gone. And once again, she was alone.

Carlos kept quiet for nearly a half-hour. "You never saw her again?"

"_After my little 'vacation', I received a severe reprimand_," Guardian answered, "_I never again erred my path_."

"Why not see her now?" Carlos suggested, "You've got a little more leeway now, right?"

"_I am your Guardian now, Warrior. I have a more important responsibility. And, as I said before, we mustn't risk—_"

"Risk the New Kingdom, blah, blah, blah," Carlos huffed. He really didn't want a lecture right now. "So that's how Pluto knows about me. She's seen other warriors through her time gate."

"_I suppose she has, since I never specified_."

Carlos fell silent. He gazed at the city through a hole in the wall. He thought of what the story said and what it meant to him. He rose and picked up his katana.

"_Where are you going?_"

"I'm going to do what I'm supposed to, make things right." He stopped at the threshold and looked back. "Coming with me?"

Something in Karasu's voice made Guardian feel a little less nervous. Maybe he was beginning to understand. "_To aid and guide, Warrior, as always_."

"There's a little epilogue to this tale," Setsuna continued, "After the messenger left, I felt curious from what he said about bringing back souls."

Haruka and Michiru gave an incredulous stare. "You mean you made us wait for that fable and you can't tell us anything about Karasu?" The former demanded.

"I didn't say that," Setsuna replied calmly, "I searched all over the time stream for them, past present and future. Unlike other situations, were I could find something or someone with just a glance. This investigation was nearly futile."

"Oh," Haruka blushed slightly at her outburst.

"I don't get it though," Mamoru wondered, "You are able to see important events that will take place in world history. These warriors must have a minor importance. At least you could have foreseen us meeting one."

"I couldn't understand it myself. Then I realized that it must have something to do with the fact that they've already died," Setsuna explained, "They are not fully reborn, they are in a between world phase."

Hotaru snapped her fingers, "He's an undead! Once dead, now reborn." Everyone looked at Hotaru curiously. "When I introduced myself as the senshi of death and rebirth, he thought that I was of his kind." She gave a sarcastic, short laugh. "I've been called many things, but this is the first time I'm compared to a zombie."

Minako checked out her youngest friend. "Well, it's nothing a weekend at the beach can't fix. But go on, Setsuna-san."

Setsuna cleared her throat and continued, "It took plenty of luck to find just a few of these warriors throughout the ages." She sighed. "Being witness to their acts didn't turn out so fortunate."

"What do you mean?" Rei inquired.

Setsuna took the last sip of her water, this was the part she didn't want to recall, but there was no turning back. "When the messenger mentioned the possibility of people coming back to correct their mistakes, I got quite hopeful. But when I found them, it was a major disappointment." She took a deep breath._ Okay, here goes_. "These souls returned as murderers. They came back only to take lives. All of the ones I've seen we're devoid of compassion had no regrets towards ending a life. Most kept under control, taking only selected targets and then leaving again." Her eyes darkened at this point. "But one in particular lost his way and mind, becoming a ruthless killing machine. I don't know what doom was bestowed on them, but I could find no reason for them becoming murderers."

"Couldn't you look back in time and find out what exactly had happened to them?" Rei asked.

"You think I didn't try? I know a lot of things Rei-chan but not everything. I would've had to leave the time gate in order to find out more about them." Setsuna threw her head back. "Frankly, most of my knowledge about this case is based on assumption."

Michiru approached Setsuna. "Back at the alley you warned Karasu about risking his soul. You made Haruka and I think you knew a lot about this."

"That was simple logic," Setsuna replied. "Think about it. If you came back to life, and used what little time you had to murder. Where would you end up?" Michiru just nodded, the answer was all too obvious.

Artemis huffed and banged his tail on the table. "The part I don't understand is: Why do they become killers? Don't you have any idea Setsuna-san?" The mocha-skinned woman shook her head.

Two new voices came from the door, "Perhaps we will be able to clear that doubt." Everyone turned and saw two young women standing among the threshold. They were like two drops of water, black eyes and long dark hair. Each of them held a long black feather in one hand. The only difference between them was the suits they wore: one blue, the other red. On their chest, an elongated six-pointed star.

Most of the senshi were at a loss, but Rei recognized them immediately. "Phobos, Deimos."

"Gomen nasai, Princess Mars, we didn't mean to worry you so much," Phobos began.

"But we needed to wait until everyone was present, so that all of you would learn at once about the warrior and the guardian," Deimos concluded.

Minako and Rei made room for the twins, who sat down in perfect synch. They gave the explanation, speaking alternately or simultaneously. Listening to their voices was a bit confusing, Usagi even got dizzy.

"We know much about the subject, because messengers and guardians hail from the same planet as we do, Coronis. Actually, nearly all of Coronis' population consists on messengers."

"As a matter of fact, Phobos and I used to perform the task of carrying souls to the land of the dead, before we were summoned to the Silver kingdom."

Rei gasped at this revelation. "You were messengers?" The twins nodded. "Did you ever send a soul back?"

Phobos shook her head. "We never had the need, or the chance, to become guardians. We were called to your side shortly after coming of age. But we're not clearing your doubts. Princess Pluto, the warriors can be ruthless in battle, but they are not completely devoid of compassion. They are avatars of vengeance, but it is also their nature to protect innocents."

"Artemis' deduction was quite accurate," Deimos pointed out, "The majority of warriors lost their lives at wars or murders, often witnessing the death of their loved ones. They accuse themselves of failing to protect them and fan their rage towards the ones who took their lives."

"When the warrior returns, on the anniversary of his demise, he is like a newborn. His memories are blocked and he is completely disoriented. All of this, plus the remorse Deimos mentioned, drive the warrior to the border of insanity."

"And the strength they posses makes them all the more dangerous," Michiru commented somberly.

Mamoru scratched his chin. "Since their lives were taken with violence, they will exact vengeance with even more violence. It becomes to them a second nature."

"One that will eventually destroy them," Usagi completed. She gave the twins a punishing glance. "If your people know about this, why do you keep sending them back? Don't you see you are condemning them to a worse fate?"

"It is not our choice alone," Deimos retorted gently, "There are…other beings involved in these matters. And it is the warrior who makes the final choice, whether to return or not."

"And they do not return without guidance. That is the role of the guardian."

Haruka smirked. "I guess that's the crow that sits on his shoulder. And I thought he was just talking to an imaginary friend."

"Guardians and messengers communicate through telepathy," Phobos explained, "We can't talk normally in our animal guise like Luna and Artemis, simply because we don't have lips."

"But why didn't you use that ability to communicate with me?" Rei asked, "After awakening as Sailor Mars, it wouldn't have surprised me much."

Deimos blushed slightly. "Actually, we've spent so much time living as normal crows, that we've forgotten how to do it." Phobos elbowed her sister; there went a bit of their pride.

"Guardian has the duty to guide the warrior to were his enemies are. He also acts as a teacher, advisor and a conscience of sorts. Unfortunately, a guardian can only interfere through words, not actions. And once the warrior makes a choice, he cannot stop him."

Minako nodded her head vigorously. "It's not like he could do much anyway, I mean, he's only a bird about this big."

The twins narrowed their eyes at Minako. So did the cats, that size comment was also offensive to them.

"As crows," Phobos replied coolly, "we have talons and a beak. And we are more than just 'birds about this big'."

"And these claws can do a little more than scratching, Aino-san," Artemis added. Minako gulped at the subtle threat.

Deimos held out her hand asking for the others to calm down. "The rule of 'no interference' is the reason why some warriors become so heartless. But let me set straight, such cases are rarities and only one warrior, the one Princess Pluto saw, became totally evil."

There was a moment of silence after that statement. What was worse? To come back for a chance to redeem yourself and end up losing your mind and soul, or being the one in charge of guiding a person, but not be able to do anything if said person goes astray?

Usagi got up, time to assume her role as a leader. "Now that we have the knowledge, we know how to act. Ami-chan, Setsuna-san, do you think it will take too long to make that tracking program?"

"Not that long," Ami answered, "I work better under pressure you know."

"Okay. I will work with the inner senshi searching out these drones and whoever is sending them."

Mamoru got up and placed a hand on Usagi's shoulder. "I in turn will aid Karasu." He glanced at the twins. "I don't think there's a rule that stops us from helping." The twins nodded. Mamoru turned to Hotaru. "Hotaru-chan, I'd like you and the outers to help me with this." The outer senshi nodded their agreement.

"Don't worry Mamoru-kun," Haruka smirked, "If that kid gets out of line, we'll scare him straight."

Mamoru frowned, the outers' instinctive distrust was the reason he chose them to aid him. He was going to scold Haruka, but someone beat him to it.

"Do you have to think ill of everyone, Haruka-papa? You could at least give him one chance, ne?"

Everyone stared at the young girl in surprise. To anyone else, the tone of her voice wouldn't have sounded that harsh. But for someone who knew Hotaru, it was an extreme shock. Hotaru didn't notice their stares, she was looking away. Either she didn't realize what she had done, or didn't care. And that last option was unthinkable.

Mamoru continued, "Phobos-san, Deimos-san, I would appreciate it if you would help us by finding Karasu. That is, if it's okay with Rei-chan."

The twins got up and bowed their heads. "Gomen nasai, your highness," Phobos said, "but we can aid you no further."

"Even though we are no longer messengers, the laws of Coronis still apply to us. The guardian must guide the warrior alone and no one of his kind may help him. But we will help, _it's high time we do_, as long as it doesn't affect the warrior directly." The future rulers nodded in understanding.

It was time for everyone to go home. As the twins stepped outside, Rei called out from behind.

"Phobos, Deimos, matte." The twins turned, it surprised them to see Rei a bit nervous. "Look, I don't know whether these transformations tire you or you can only do it a limited number of times. But, we've been through so much together, and after this is over, I was hoping…"

Phobos and Deimos shared a glance, smiled to each other then back at the young maiden. "We can take this form as speak as often as we want. And you are right, we have lot to catch up on."

Rei's face brightened. Before the trio realized it, they were holding each other in a tight embrace. Each of them felt as if she had just found a long lost friend. Rei kept her eyes closed through the embrace, and then she felt the twins vanish. Startled, she opened her eyes and found them perched on her arms, in their crow forms. The shrine maiden gave them an understanding smile as they flew off. Reunions would have to wait. For now, there was work to be done.

"Artemis-kun, we're leaving," Minako called. For some reason Artemis and Luna were stalling, which was rare for those two.

"Hai, I'll be right there. Ami-chan, I noticed you connected the VCR to that gadget. Were you taping the images by any chance?"

"Hai, for some reason the image became clearer while the recording functioned."

"Good, take the tape to central control later. There's something on it that Luna-chan and I would like to check out. And I'd like you to see it too."

"Okay, I'll tell Setsuna-san and—"

"Ie!" Luna exclaimed, "Don't tell Setsuna-san. Don't let any of the outers know about this."

Ami was surprised at this petition. "But why? Is there something wrong?"

"We don't know if it's something wrong," the black cat answered more calmly, "but until we know exactly what it is. I don't want to get the outers any more worried.

Ami nodded. _New riddles, at least this one concerns only me_.

Outers' manor:

Hotaru poured one more bucketful of water over her head, rinsing away the last of the soap. One quick soak in the furo and she was done. A sharp pain ran down the side of her body as she got up. She checked the area where Karasu had kicked her. The bruise wasn't that large, but it looked a sickly purple and yellow. In truth, it looked a lot worse than it really was. Hotaru's sense of pain said otherwise.

She could place her hand on it and heal it, but she decided some time ago not to use her healing powers unless it was a real emergency. E. G. Minako's shoulder wound, or her being too wounded to keep on fighting. But something like this, she could definitely survive. All she needed was a nice hot bath.

As the warm water soothed her aches, she thought about the Karasu and all that the twins had said. She had to admit, like the bird he was named after, Karasu was clever. Using the katana as a lightning rod was brilliant, and luring her to a trap back at the warehouse was also a good move. She sank when she recalled the humiliating position she had been in.

'_You have one of the cutest butts I have seen_.' She made a fist as she remembered those words. _Karasu may not be our foe, but somehow he's going to pay for that insult. _She then relaxed a bit. _Was it an insult? His tone sounded a bit too…playful. Was it actually a compliment?_

It was time to get out of the furo. As Hotaru dried herself, she caught a glimpse of her figure in the mirror. Feeling a bit embarrassed, she observed more closely. Her womanhood was like a violet, shy and discreet, while her face still kept the angelic innocence of childhood. Truthfully she deserved any compliment, she was beautiful. Hotaru however, was blind to all this. Years of verbal abuse and mistreatment had given her a somewhat low opinion of herself. She shook her head sadly. _Surely there's nothing about me that's attractive._ As she left the bathroom, she remembered something else she had been told.

'_A girl with your looks must have a whole fleet of lulls behind her all the time_.'

Hotaru had just finished putting on her nightgown when she heard a knock on the door. "Hime-chan." It was Setsuna. "Are you still awake?"

"Hai, come in."

Setsuna walked into the room and closed the door behind her. Hotaru felt a chill run down her spine when she saw the look on her face. It was the kind of look that makes children think: there's trouble and it's me.

"Hime-chan, I want to talk to you about the way you told off Haruka today."

Hotaru was surprised. "Told off? When, why would I do something like that?"

"An hour ago when you said Haruka shouldn't be so untrusting. The tone of your voice wasn't that rude, but there was some anger in it. In fact, your behavior has been rather, difficult, as of late."

Hotaru kept silent for a minute, thinking her response over. "I didn't realize I acted that way." She started getting up. "I better go and apologize to Haruka-papa."

Setsuna stopped her. "That will have to wait until tomorrow. She and Michiru have already gone to bed."

Hotaru sat down again. "As for the way I've been acting. I guess I've been in a foul mood because I haven't been sleeping well." She rubbed her temple. "I've been having nightmares these last few days."

"Nightmares?" Setsuna was getting worried now. Among the senshi, dreams were often equal to flashbacks or premonitions.

"Well not nightmares exactly." _With nightmares, you wake up scared; from these dreams, I've woken up either sad or enraged_. She tried, but failed at holding back a yawn. "Could we talk about this tomorrow, Setsuna-mama? I feel sleepy."

"Of course," she bent over and kissed Hotaru's forehead, "Sweet dreams, Hime-chan."

As she walked to her room, Setsuna pondered about what Hotaru had said. Lack of sleep is a normal cause for foul behavior. But the truth was, Hotaru had been displaying a temper for longer than 'the last few days'. The first incident they noticed was over a year ago, when she lost her temper at some kid teasing her. They were actually glad that happened, it meant Hotaru wouldn't let herself be a pushover. Sometime later, Ami had told them about Hotaru losing her temper again. Haruka shrugged and said that chibi-Hime-chan was becoming a teenager, it was probably just hormones. Back then, those incidents were isolated and easily taken for granted. But now they occurred more often. _We should have done something earlier. And now we have to deal with Karasu and the drones_. Setsuna banged her head on the door to her room. Each and every senshi knew that her duties overweight her personal life. Nevertheless, she hated to prioritize anything above Hotaru's well being. She banged her head again for not acting when she should have.

Setsuna sighed and went into her room. Once this case was solved, the three of them could concentrate on Hotaru. After all, with Pluto here, they had all the time in the world.

Whirlpool compound:

A large metallic door slid open and five drones leapt into the room. They saw their target standing in the center. They charged as one, surrounding their victim completely. Some slashes, a few chirps, punches and kicks later; five more carcasses were added to the pile.

From an observation booth above, Hawkins watched along with two of his assistants. One of them spoke into the microphone.

"Status?"

"Enough with the warm-ups. Give me something I can sink my teeth into."

Hawkins nodded. "Raise the level by two."

The assistant complied. "I must say, Dr. Hawkins, the subject is passing the endurance test with much better results than expected. Think we could call it a night?"

Hawkins responded negatively. "Mr. Poe wants a complete report on his abilities. The endurance test won't stop until he runs out." All three of them jumped back in fright when the top half of a drone smashed into the window. Hawkins re-approached cautiously. Through the green stain he could see that his subject was still going strong. He gulped. "We're going to need coffee."


	6. Death and Rebirth 6

****

Death and Rebirth

Chapter Six:

Guardian watched over Carlos from above as he made his way to school. It had been a week, and no matter how hard he tried, Guardian could find no trace of Carlos' murderers. This really worried him. He had considered going to Phobos and Deimos for help, but he knew he couldn't do it. A guardian had to perform his duties alone and this really frustrated him. In truth he didn't want help, he just wanted an excuse to meet the legendary Mars twins.

He looked down upon Carlos. As Karasu, he had been keeping himself busy by hunting down criminals. Although he rarely killed anybody, he always used extreme violence. But Guardian could say nothing. In fact, he was actually glad that Karasu kept himself a bit under control, even if it was minimal. It didn't console Guardian much that he killed, but Carlos always checked the souls of his victims. He only took the lives of those whose souls were too tainted and corrupted, which were rare, and spared the ones who had even the smallest hope for redemption. Still, this didn't change the fact that his ward was a cold-blooded killer and getting good at it. He didn't like that at all.

Guardian went down, he decided to discuss this subject with Carlos again. He would probably ignore him, but he had to keep insisting. Otherwise, it could happen again.

Carlos was down in the dumps. Hunting down the scum of Tokyo helped release his frustrations, but what he really wanted was to get his mission over with as soon as possible. True, those nightly hunts meant he didn't have to fight in school anymore. This meant no detention, which was really starting to get on his nerves. Plus, all those battles served to train him in combat.

"_Warrior, a word with you._"

"Sure thing Guardian," he extended his arm, "What's up?"

Guardian landed on his arm and started talking. "_It's about your behavior, Warrior. You can't keep on slaying people_."

"_Vámos_, you can count the people I've killed with one hand, or wing, and I always check first."

"_Yes, that is true. But every time you slay, you do it with more violence. That only serves to harm you_."

"Why? What could happen?"

Guardian took a deep breath. "_In every group, there is always one who excels. Well, there once existed a warrior—_"

"Hey, you Mexican creep!" Carlos and Guardian turned to the source of that voice. Carlos groaned, it was two kids that had a reputation of teasing and bullying anyone they didn't like. He had several nasty encounters with them, and always ended up winning. But these two didn't learn. "So, the hermit has a crow for a friend. What do you think you are, a warlock?"

"No," Carlos answered as he turned away, "I'm just someone who's gonna make you hurt, if you don't shut up and let me be."

The other two just laughed, "We've seen how you've been acting lately. You've gone soft."

"That's right. You've become to scared for a real fight, wimp."

Carlos snorted, "I've only been careful as to not get into detention." He grinned wickedly. "But right now, we are out of the campus, so," he taunted them to approach, "you can check out how soft I've become." His grin became wider. "Unless you're afraid of a wimp."

The taunt worked, both kids approached Carlos with obvious intentions for a fight. When the opponents were a few steps away from each other, someone else called out.

"Leave him alone!" All four turned, it was Hotaru. Of course, she was a frequent victim to these two jerks. She walked up beside Carlos. "Can't you two grow up and leave people alone?"

"Shut up you freak!" one of them retorted, "This is none of your business."

"That's right," Carlos said, "now get away before you get hurt."

Hotaru shook her head. "I'm tired of cowering under baka like these. I'm staying!"

One of the creeps made a fist. "Okay, freak, you asked for it." He threw a punch straight to Hotaru's face. With extreme ease, Carlos caught his arm and twisted it back and upwards. The kid couldn't do more than gasp in pain. His companion just stood still, amazed by Carlos' speed.

"Now. Do you know why your arm hurts so?" Carlos asked coldly, "It's bent to the limit. A little more pressure and it'll come out of its socket. A lot more pressure and you'll never use it again." The kid whimpered a response. Carlos turned to the other one. "Are you going to behave now?" He got a reluctant nod for an answer and let the kid go. Once the pair was gone, he turned his attention to Hotaru.

"What if I hadn't been able to stop that punch? You would have been seriously hurt. Why can't you keep your nose out of my business?"

Hotaru huffed. "Well I couldn't let you get into a fight." As Hotaru expected, Carlos had succeeded in alienating everyone around him. Even Reiko had lost interest in him. If she was going to save Carlos from his self-imposed solitude, she had to act now. "Besides," she continued, "I've got my own problems with those two." Her gaze then turned towards Guardian, who had stayed on Carlos shoulder all this time. She gasped in amazement, he was a magnificent bird. She'd never seen Phobos and Deimos in their crow forms up close. _They must be even more beautiful_. "I assume this is your pet."

"_Qué?_"

"Caw?"

Carlos and Guardian looked at each other. "Uh, yeah. He started following me one day. And in time, we grew fond of each other."

Cautiously, Hotaru tried to pet him. She was afraid the crow would peck her hand, that beak looked sharp. Noticing her intentions, Carlos moved Guardian to his arm and extended him to Hotaru.

"Go ahead, he won't hurt you."

Guardian frowned. He was a guide, an advisor, not a pet. Later he was going to give the warrior a piece of his mind. But when the young girl's soft hand caressed his head, his mood changed. _This isn't so bad. It is actually quite pleasant_.

"He's really pretty. Does he have a name?"

"_Sí_, it's—" Carlos went dumb. Thanks to the media, he had become well known as Karasu no shi. And many people knew that he often called out to someone named Guardian. Mentioning that name would reveal his identity. "It's…Kashaku! I named him Kashaku."

Hotaru raised an eyebrow. "That's a strange name. But I guess you've got your reasons."

"Yeah, I do. Well, I gotta go now."

"Matte. It's still early, we have time to talk."

"It's early, but I've got work to do. _Adios_." Carlos went out of sight and Hotaru just stood there shaking her head.

"_Kashaku._" The crow pondered his new name. "_I have to admit, Warrior I like your choice for naming me._"

"Well I'm glad you appreciate it," Carlos said with a wily grin, "because my other choice was _Pepe_."

Kashaku frowned. "_Not funny, Warrior_," he flew off, "_not funny at all_."

Central control, Underneath the Crown game center:

Artemis viewed the tape from the meeting the other night. Being a cat, his keener sight allowed him to see something the others couldn't. He pressed some buttons and the image enlarged. Luna came in at that point.

"Gomen, I had to rush Usagi to school, again." She hopped up next to her mate. "Is everything ready?"

"Hai, now watch. I'm focusing the image on Hotaru-chan." Hotaru's silhouette seemed normal at first, but if you looked closely, you would see a black circle upon her chest.

Luna nodded. "It's there all right. Can you zoom in?" Artemis pressed a button and the image focused on the circle. It now looked like a black thundercloud. Luna shook her head, "This looks bad. Any idea what it is?"

"None, we should ask Ami or Rei. But that's not the most intriguing part." He pressed the fast-forward button. "Watch what happens when she scolds Haruka-kun." The cloud began to swirl faster and more violently, until it made a short explosion. Then it shrunk again, a bit larger than its original size. "So, what do you make of this?"

Luna looked down. "Nothing good, nothing good at all."

Whirlpool compound:

Hawkins stood in a room making annotations. Beside him, was a melted down steel block. Allen came in, coughing dryly. He wore his business suit but his hair was still undone.

"(Cough), how are the results coming out, Hawkins?"

"Quite well, Mr. Poe." He tapped the chunk of metal with his pen. "This is the result of a regular size energy charge." He checked his notes. "Therapy, however, will take a bit more time to complete."

"Well don't expect him to become too stable. Remember who we're talking about." Allen took a deep breath and rubbed his chest.

"Trouble, Mr. Poe?"

"Tired," the other responded, "I've got a takeover to complete, a ball to host, a warrior to catch and a massacre to commit. I just can't take a break." He ran a finger over the former block. "Are the drones ready?"

"All ready, Mr. Poe, plus the tracker."

Allen nodded and started leaving the room. "Good, I'll have Paul ready to carry out the mission by this afternoon."

Hawkins called him back. "Mr. Poe, wait! Are you sure you will able to lure the Karasu out with that plan."

"We've both studied him, Hawkins. I **know** this will work."

Haruka and Michiru were waiting for Hotaru by the car at a park near Seiryu. The play where Minako and Saori starred made its debut today. Everyone was already at the theater, except for the three mentioned above and Makoto, who was going to bring Shigeru.

The outers' search for Karasu hadn't gone well. The guy seemed to be everywhere at once. The only source of information they had was the media, which they were using right now thanks to a portable TV.

"_For the last few days, there has been a notorious rise in crime in the streets of Juban. At the same time however, a new crime fighter has appeared to protect the citizens. His extremely brutal methods have earned him the name: Karasu no shi, crow of death_."

Haruka snorted. It was too big a coincidence that muggings had skyrocketed as soon as this guy showed up. She watched closely as witnesses were interviewed.

Little did she know that it was Allen Poe who had caused this rise in criminal activity. He knew how Karasu would react. And this way, he could study his pattern.

"_So, my boyfriend Bobby and I are like, walking through the park_." The girl gestured too much, trying to make the most of her fifteen minutes of fame. "_When this guy comes out of nowhere and tries to take my purse. Bobby tried to stop him but got knocked out. At that moment, we hear a crow call and as we turn around, this guy in black leaps from out of nowhere and beats the crap out of the perv. It was **so **intense! I'm in love!_"

Haruka sweat-dropped. An older man replaced the girl. "_In my opinion. That guy is no better than a common thief. He stops criminals, yes, but takes away their weapons. He must be armed to the teeth by now. Not to mention the fact that he is a killer._"

"_I remember being scared_," another girl said, "_but when he touched me the fear just…it was gone_."

"_The guy is not human_!" A Woody Allen look-alike ranted. "_I saw him get shot three times! He just stood there and made a snide remark_." He shook his finger at the camera. "_The sooner the senshi blast this guy, the better off we'll be_."

"I agree, but my boss won't let me," Haruka muttered. Michiru chuckled and elbowed her. The anchorman reappeared on the screen.

"_If all of the scenes where a slaying takes place, Karasu no shi leaves a calling card of sorts, the silhouette of a crow._" The scene changed to show the sketch of a bird painted on a wall, it's wings spread. In the center there was the chalk outline of a body. Whoever it was had been crucified. "_Normally, blood is used for this strange art. But sometimes fire, a trail of drugs even fallen leaves are used for the same effect._"

Haruka turned off the set. "You know, I think Karasu is going through all this vigilante business in order to gain fame. I mean, look everywhere. I once saw a shop that was selling t-shirts with his picture."

Michiru giggled, "Don't worry. As long as Sailor Venus takes care of our P.R., we'll stay number one."

Haruka smiled a little, but a scowl returned to her face. "I just don't understand how Usagi and Mamoru still believe that we can turn this guy into an ally." She picked up a newspaper she'd bought earlier. "Each time he kills he does it with more violence. And the lucky ones will be at the hospital for several weeks." She sighed. "May the princess forgive me, but I can't make myself trust Karasu." She then heard Michiru huff and saw her turn away with her arms crossed. _What's wrong with her?_

"Ohayo!" The princesses of Sea and Sky looked up, it was Makoto and Shigeru. "Have you guys had any luck finding Karasu?"

"Nothing except new reports," the sand-blonde replied, "How about you? Has Ami-chan's program brought results?"

"Hai, we managed to find one more of those camera/drainer things. Inside the ventilation system, of a bar!"

"I place that I have heard about," Shigeru said, "There you will find nothing but the lowest of scum. All of the patrons are either drunk or stoned twenty-four hours a day."

Michiru rubbed her chin. "A hospital, where most of the people there are weakened, and a bar, where everyone is in an intoxicated state." She let her hands down on her legs. "I don't get it. What can these people be after?"

Makoto shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine."

Shigeru leaned on the car. "And with that mirror, even better. By the way, I've been doing a bit of researching of my own."

Haruka looked up, "Really? What about?"

"Have you heard about Navarro Carlos?"

Michiru sat up. "Hai, Hotaru-chan often talks about him. She really worries about his apparent intentions for being left alone."

"Well, I only know what I've read on the reports and heard from his teachers. But he's done a good job so far. Over the week, he's managed to keep everyone away with an **eleven**-foot pole. He's got into so many fights and ostracized so many people, that no one will give him the time of day. And he prefers it that way!" Shigeru dug his hands into his pockets. "And the one he used to treat the worse was Hotaru-chan."

With a start, Haruka got up and out of the car. "HE WHAT?"

Makoto held her friend back. "Hey Haruka-kun, calm down. He's not beating her or anything. The worse he has done to her was yell. And you might like to know; she hasn't given up on trying to make friends with him. And according to the gossip mill, he's treating her a little more politely." _Which is practically zip_.

Michiru walked up to her love's side. "I thought as much. She told me about her suspicions; she would never allow anyone to suffer, especially after what she had to go through."

Shigeru nodded and chuckled. "Yep, that's one fine _ragazza_ you two raised. Anyway, that's not what I was going to tell you. On a hunch, I went to the archives to find out what I could about the_ bambino_. Turns out that, even though all the papers are filed, signed and up-to-date. Not one of the secretaries can remember either him or his parents coming over."

"Is that a fact?" Makoto asked.

"Hai. I was able to find out that his father works at 'Dark Feather'. I wanted to contact him, but there's no phone number. And the address I found is non-existent."

Michiru wowed. "To say that this is mysterious would be an understatement. I wonder what's wrong with Navarro-san."

Haruka crossed her arms. "No background and he keeps everyone away from him. I'd say he's got something to hide." She noticed that Michiru rolled her eyes at her. "What?"

Carlos walked through the park, slowly so he wouldn't miss the charm all around him. Kashaku was elsewhere searching for his enemies. This place had become one of his favorites, a place where he could be alone and at peace. A lot of people visited the park daily, but the beauty all around made people forget about the world around. Carlos stopped and took a deep, revitalizing breath of fresh air. _That's right. This is definitely better than beating up scum… Although not as much fun_.

"Stay right there."

Carlos sighed, he recognized that voice, hell, he recognized those souls. It was the two kids that harassed him that morning, Shawn and Shiro. And there was someone else with them. Carlos took a look, it was an older and much bigger kid.

"So Shawn-kun, is this the trouble maker?"

"Hai, Sato-san. This is the guy who's going to learn a lesson."

The three of them approach, Sato at the lead. Once he was in front of Carlos, he gave a deep chuckle and clapped with his fist closed. "So runt, ready to spit teeth?"

Carlos was unfazed by this threat. He'd fought with bigger guys before, when he was alive, younger and shorter. "Look fellows," he said calmly, "I can't believe I'm going to say this but, I don't feel like fighting. So let's each of us go his way, okay?" He began to walk away, but Sato put his hand over his chest.

"Did I say you could leave? I don't think so."

Carlos pushed Sato's arm aside and shoved him away. Sato stumbled back and fell on his rear. He was genuinely surprised, this kid was definitely strong for his size.

"I will not fight. Now leave me alone."

Shiro stepped forward and pulled out a switchblade. "Ever fought against someone with a knife, gaijin?"

Calmly, Carlos put his palm by the blade and closed his fists tightly. If these idiots wouldn't listen, then perhaps he could frighten them. His eyes opened wide when he felt a great pain coming from that hand.

"Yah!" He jerked his hand away; it was bleeding like there was no tomorrow! "_Demonio!_" He'd forgotten all about the wound Uranus had made with her Star sword.

Sato cackled. "So, you're not as tough as you thought you were." He threw a right hook at Carlos jaw, which caused his sunglasses to fall off. It was followed by an uppercut and a knee to the stomach. Carlos was too surprised to counterattack. The bully lifted him by the neck, and in one stride, pinned him against a tree. "Now gaijin, you are going to learn some proper Japanese etiquette. Lesson one: respect your elders."

"Leave him alone!"

Hotaru had seen what those three were doing to Carlos and rushed to the rescue. She climbed on Sato's back and began pounding him. Sato just flung the petit teen off with his free hand. Shawn ran over and held her with a neck choke.

"Hey, I know you," Sato said, "You're the witch from Mugen Gauken."

"Is that so?" Shawn chuckled, "I always said there was something wrong with this freak." He tightened his grip on Hotaru.

Sato hadn't seen Hotaru since Mugen Gauken had been destroyed. He checked out how her body had grown. "I have to admit, the witch has grown up quite nicely," he said lustfully, "this is going to be a very good day." He suddenly felt something clamp his arm, and slowly begin to apply pressure. His eyes widened when he felt and heard his bones crackle. He slowly turned his head and met face to face with the deep dark void of Hell.

"Don't…you dare…TOUCH HER!" He kicked Sato on the chin, knocking him unconscious. Once free, he charged towards Shawn and punched him in the nose. With Hotaru safely out of the way, he threw a flurry of punches to his chest. Then he felt Shiro charge from behind. With a roundhouse kick, he knocked the switchblade out of his hand, and followed with a hook to the stomach. Shiro whined as he felt the air rush out of his body. Carlos then planted his bloody hand to his chest and pinned him down to the sidewalk. He looked up and saw that Carlos had grabbed the knife and was now holding it up, ready to jab it into his face.

"IE!" He closed his eyes in terror. After what he felt was an eternity, he opened them again, Carlos was still on top of him. He looked at what was beside him and saw the knife. Driven into the cement, just millimeters away from his face. Shiro gulped, for the first time since he was ten, he wet his pants.

Carlos pulled the creep up, rage flamed out of his ebony eyes. "I could have and will kill you if you three keep acting like such jackasses." He dropped Shiro and looked at the other two. They were already getting up, shivering. "Now, RUN!" They didn't have to hear that twice. In a blink, they were gone. Taking a deep breath to calm down, Carlos went up to pick up his glasses, taking care that Hotaru didn't look into his eyes.

Hotaru was on her knees catching her breath. That was quite a show! Navarro-sempai was truly someone dangerous to anger. She got up and went towards him. "Navarro-sempai, are you—"

"Why do you insist on being so stupid?"

"Nani?"

Carlos turned around to face Hotaru, the anger in his face was obvious. "What you just did was utterly stupid! You could have gotten yourself hurt!"

"The three of them were all against you!" Hotaru retorted, "You couldn't have done anything without someone helping you!"

"Three, four, six, I could have handled it all right by myself. All you managed was to get in the way!" He jabbed his finger into Hotaru's chest. "This is the last time I'm telling you: Keep out of my life!" Hotaru responded by slapping his face, with all the strength she could muster. Her violet eyes were flooded by anger-fed tears.

"Since that night, when I found you," she said through sobs, "I've been worried whether you'd be alive, well or sad. You've been keeping me away but I always searched you out, ready to give you my friendship." Hotaru trembled with rage. "But now it's quite obvious. You are not worth the effort nor these tears."

Carlos remained indifferent to this display, which he thought was ridiculous. "That's what you get when you go around helping everybody. You risk running into bastards like me." He sneered at her and walked away.

Hotaru was appalled by this behavior. "I wanted to be there for you, Navarro, and I was willing to lend a hand when you needed one." Carlos ignored her but she kept calling out to him. "One day you're going to succeed and no one will come near you." She turned away. "On that day you'll realize how much you really need a friend." She ran away.

Carlos came to a halt. Hotaru had just triggered another flashback. Her words were so similar to the ones he heard from…_Carmela. _He rolled up his fists and cursed himself. _Carlos imbécil, what have you done?_ He ran after Hotaru, hoping it wasn't too late.

Seiryu High school:

Just outside of campus, Paul stood looking at the building. He was holding a small bag over his shoulder, what it kept inside was quite unpleasant.

__

All those children in that building. Their parents force them to achieve excellent grades, not giving them the chance for a life. Such suffering it is that they go through. That is what Poe had told him, and he believed it. Zealots are so easy to manipulate when you know which strings to pull. Paul opened the bag and dropped its contents on the ground, a whole bunch of drone eggs. "Go and liberate those souls," he said as the nightmares hatched.

"It's the last lap and the final curve before the finish line. My tires were almost shot and the only path I could take was between the guardrail and the local favorite. The space between became just wide enough, that's when I—"

"Hey, isn't that Hotaru-chan?" Makoto interrupted. Yes it was, she was quite a distance away from them though. "I wonder why she's running? She hardly ever hurries."

"She's running away from something," Shigeru observed. He looked carefully and saw who it was, "Ara, it's—"

"That does it!" Haruka exclaimed as she sprinted.

It's easy for an undead warrior to catch up with a powered down senshi. What's difficult is for a sovereign idiot to stop an enraged female.

"Wait, please, I need to talk to you."

"Well that's a shame, because I don't want to listen," Hotaru answered sourly.

Carlos grabbed her arm. "Look, just give me a chance to—" Hotaru jerked her arm away from him.

"I gave you more than enough chances. Now get away from me!" He took hold of her again, she pushed him away, "You didn't want me near you, ne? Well congratulations, you've got your wish!"

"But," Carlos tried to reach her but she pushed him away again.

"Keep your hands off me, you—you FREAK!"

Carlos looked down and sighed in defeat. She was right; he was given more than enough chances. Like always, the most valuable gift was right in front of his face, and he didn't see it until he lost it. _Why do I have to be such an ass? _He shook his head at himself. _Oh well, the least I can do is offer an apology, if she hasn't run away yet. _He looked up again and saw Hotaru just standing there, both hands were clasped over her mouth, her eyes were wide with shock and she was…shaking?

Slow and fearfully, Hotaru took her hands away from her face. She couldn't believe what just came out of her lips. For years that word was used against her, hurting her in a way nobody but her could understand. No matter how big Chibi-Usa's friendship was or how much love Haruka, Michiru and Setsuna would give her, the word 'freak' had left a deep scar in her heart. And now that she heard it from her own voice, with such anger, it sounded much more awful. "G-Gomen nasai," she stuttered.

Carlos reached out to touch her face. For some reason she was scared and he knew he could take that fear away with his power. He would have if someone hadn't shoved him off.

"Get away from her!" Haruka pushed Carlos away and enclosed Hotaru in a shielding embrace. She didn't know who this kid was, but she did recognize his face.

A few days ago she saw him involved in a gang fight. Seeing that four outnumbered him, her first reaction has to help. But then she saw him knock out two of the bullies simultaneously. He finished off the other two with a short but extreme display of violence. Haruka whistled, this kid was something serious. When all four were down, he made a sarcastic comment while wearing a sadistic sneer. This last detail troubled Haruka a bit. She noticed that he was wearing the Seiryu uniform. _If this kid knows what's good for him, he better keep away from my Hime-chan_.

Hotaru snapped out of her trance. "Haruka-papa? Matte! Navarro-sempai was only—"

"Navarro, Navarro Carlos?" Haruka eyed the boy suspiciously. "Go to Michiru and Mako-chan, Hime-chan," she said as she got between the two teens.

"But."

"Go!" Hotaru frowned but did as she was told. Haruka put her full attention towards Carlos. "What were you trying to do to her?"

"I was just trying to apologize to her," Carlos snapped, "I'm not the one who made her cry like that!" _At least I hope not_.

"Well people cry when they're hurt, and having your arm almost pulled off hurts!"

"I would never hurt a girl physically, at least not intentionally. And what makes you think that I would strike at someone just because?"

Haruka narrowed her eyes menacingly. "I've heard a lot about you, Navarro, and I've even seen the way you act. So far, the bad far outweighs the good." She pointed a finger at Carlos' face. "You will not hurt, you will not even go near Hotaru-chan. Is that understood?"

Carlos' expression remained blank through that whole threat. "You can't watch over her forever and you can't watch me at all." A mocking grin appeared slowly on his face. "I can be right next to her tomorrow at school, next week on the streets," his voice got lower, "or tonight in her bed doing what I please." That did it, Haruka threw a punch and Carlos easily avoided it. She threw another, this time he caught her arm. "Don't be to quick to judge people. It can be very dangerous and I hate that."

"_Warrior! The crow-vision._"

Carlos snorted. Couldn't Kashaku see that he was busy? His eyes went wide suddenly. "_Hijo de su-!_ Gotta go!" He let go of the blonde and ran as fast as he could.

"Matte!" Haruka spun around. "If you think I'm going to let—" She was speaking at no one, Carlos just disappeared. Haruka stomped her foot. _If that hentai creep touches a hair in my Hime-chan's head… _Fuming, she went back to the others.

Hotaru had everyone surrounding her, listening to what happened and what she did.

"I don't believe it. How could I do that to him?"

"You were angry, Hime-chan," Michiru comforted her, "people can't control what they say or do when they let their emotions overtake them."

"That's the reason I got into so many fights when I was younger," Makoto added, "I always let my anger let the best of me." She nudged Hotaru's shoulder. "Don't be so hard on yourself, short-stuff."

Hotaru managed a shy smile. "Arigato. But still, it doesn't excuse the way I treated Navarro-sempai."

"Think about this," Shigeru suggested, "if he came back looking for you, you must have said something right. I'm sure he'll come looking for you again."

"You think so, Shigeru-sensei?"

"I know so."

"And when he does, I'll teach him exactly where he's supposed to be," Haruka said as she joined the others. "Hotaru-chan," she always called her that when it was something serious, "I want you to keep away from Navarro-san."

"Nani?" Michiru knew Haruka's paranoia well, but this was a bit too much. "Haruka, how can you say something like that?"

"He's too secretive to trust," she answered, "and I saw him in a fight once. He's too dangerous. Hotaru could end up hurt."

"Haruka-papa, I know how he fights, I just saw him." She shuddered a bit. "I'll admit he is brutal, but that can't be all there is to him."

"But that is all he'll let us see. And what he keeps hidden can't be good." Noticing that Hotaru was beginning to frown, Haruka placed her hands on her shoulders. "Hime-chan, I'm only trying to do what's best for you."

"Ie, you're doing what **you **think is best," she replied harshly. She walked away from the group. "Give Mina-san my regards. I'll be going home, **by myself**."

Haruka watched bewildered as Hotaru left. "What's gotten into her?" She turned to Michiru and found her also frowning and with her arms crossed.

"If you had listened for a change, you might have learned the reason." Haruka was about to ask what that meant when something hummed in Michiru's purse, the Aqua mirror. Everyone looked into it and gasped. "Kuso, Hime-chan we have to—" Hotaru rushed past them.

"I know, I saw!"

Usagi, Rei and Minako were waiting backstage for the others to arrive. Minako peeked through the curtains at the crowd.

"Where are the others? The show's about to start any moment now."

"They'll be here Mina-chan," Usagi said as she patted her friend on the back, "Feels weird being the first one here though."

"It is queer, I must say," Rei quipped, "By the way, how is Saori-san doing?"

"You mean after what happened? Quite well, considering she's not used to facing certain death every five seconds. But let's not bring that subject up." She struck a victory pose and pointed towards her lucky star. "Here it is: Aino Minako's big break! Nothing shall stop me now!" The alarm on their communicators went off. "Damn Murphy and his laws!"

Rei rolled her eyes and Usagi checked it out. "It's a red alert!" This meant all the senshi had to answer. "The signal's coming from Makoto." She turned to Rei. "She's in Seiryu at this moment, ne?"

"Hai!" she answered as she and Minako took out their henshin rods.

"Mars/Venus, crisis power, make up!"

"Eternal moon power, make up!"

The three senshi teleported away.

The whole schoolyard was one panicked mess. Even though classes had been dismissed, there where still plenty of students and teachers around. Everyone was running around trying to get away from the drones. All they managed was to make their job easier. Hotaru watched in horror as brown and purple insects turned the school into a slaughter-fest. She recognized the skeletons, but didn't know what to make of the purple ones. She then identified them as 'spitters' when one of them threw a jet of acid at a coach, turning him into a red/green puddle.

Hotaru pulled out her henshin rod. There was no secluded place nearby to hide her transformation, and she had no time to look for one. Everyone was running around aimlessly, hopefully she wouldn't attract attention. "Saturn cri—"

"TOMOE GET DOWN!" Something large tackled her away from the field of battle. Hotaru was too taken by surprise to react, she ended up under what seemed two hundred pounds of bone and muscle. With a little effort she managed to free herself.

"Baka! I have to go and stop those things." She gasped when she saw who it was and what was happening to him. "Sato-san?"

Sato was lying on the ground face down, a giant wasp that was digging its stinger deep into his back. Hotaru summoned her glaive and sliced the wasp in two. Carefully, she turned him over and checked his pulse, he was still alive, but not for long. Frantically, she tried healing him, but it was no use, he was dying.

"Tomoe-san?" Sato's voice was barely audible.

"I'm here, Sato-san. Just hold on."

Sato caught a glimpse of the Silence Glaive. "So it's you. I guess I should have treated you better over the years, ne?"

Hotaru shook her head. "You saved my life, Sato-san! But I thought you hated me."

Sato chuckled painfully. "So did I. But when I saw that thing, I guess deep down I couldn't bear see a girl like you get hurt." Hotaru gave him the warmest smile ever. He lurched violently as the poison took effect. "Gomen…nasai…Tomo…" he expired.

Hotaru neared her face to Sato's and kissed his cheek. "I forgive you Sato-san," she whispered, "I've always had." She got up, her eyes scanned the area. She saw the drones create chaos, her classmates surrounded by horror. Half a dozen skeletons and spitters caught sight of her and charged. "Ie," she whispered. She held the glaive over her head. "SATURN CRISIS POWER, MAKE UP!" The drones halted and found Sailor Saturn standing defiantly. The former Silence Messiah gave them no time to react. "SILENCE GLAIVE SURPRISE!" The resulting explosion wiped the drones out completely. A slight grin of satisfaction began to bend Saturn's lips, but she was not done yet. She ran off, out for blood.

Eternal Sailor Moon, Mars and Venus couldn't believe what they saw. The whole building seemed one giant beehive.

Sailor Moon sweat-dropped. "You know? These things seem more disgusting in large numbers."

"I agree," Venus added, "How's about we sit this one out and call the Orkin-man."

Mars rolled her eyes. "Can't you two—" Some screaming interrupted her. The three senshi turned and saw the students evacuate the building. Sailor Moon looked up, several drones were about to pounce on them. "Venus!"

"I see them. Venus love me chain!" The golden lasso wrapped around the drones and threw them to the ground, a safe distance away from the students.

Mars finished the job. "Burning Mandala!" The attack destroyed just a few of the drones. The rest were badly burned, but still able to fight.

Sailor Moon took a step towards the giant insects. "Roaches and bugs are hideous enough without being seven feet tall. We are the bishoujo senshi, and in the name of the Moon, we will squish you." One blackened drone just stood and looked at her. Sailor Moon blinked "Uh… What does that look mean?" It threw its head back and then bent forward spitting a jet of acid. Sailor Moon jumped out of the way just in time "YIKES!"

"Odango-head! Can't you make the intros shorter?" Mars yelled as she avoided a skeleton's claw.

"Yell at me at some other time, okay!" Sailor Moon cried as she avoided the streams of acid. "Somebody get this thing of my back!"

"One second." Venus caught a skeleton with her chain and flung it at the spitter. The result was a tangled purple, brown, black and orange mess.

Sailor Moon took a look at Venus handiwork, then she saw several more drones come from that direction. She held the Moon power tier forward "Silver Moon crystal power kiss!" In a second, all of the drones were obliterated.

Venus put a hand on Sailor Moon's shoulder. "Good work, Princess. Guess that takes care of them."

Moon shook her head. "We're not done yet. I can still hear more buzzing from the building. Let's go." They both ran into the school. Sailor Moon looked back and saw Mars holding her head. "Mars?"

"I'm all right. I just felt a strange presence," Mars answered.

"The enemy?"

"No, it's not evil, just negative. It's a bit familiar somehow… Karasu!"

Sailor Moon's eyes lit up, she looked to where Venus was running. "Wherever he is, we better get going before Venus runs into more of those bugs."

Mars nodded and they both ran inside.

"Death scream."

A dozen more drones were eliminated. Sailor Mercury and Sailor Pluto had arrived along with the others. Mercury was assessing the situation through her computer.

"So Mercury. Where else do we have to fumigate?" Uranus asked as she wiped a drone's blood off her sword.

"They're all around the campus," Mercury replied, "The good news is that most are organized in compact groups, so this shouldn't take long. The bad news is that those groups consist of a large numbers of individuals. Plus, some drones are isolated and my visor can't track those."

"That's good to know," Neptune said, "How is the princess doing?"

Mercury tapped a few more buttons. "Sailor Moon, Mars and Venus just went inside the building, they shouldn't have much trouble." She frowned slightly. "Saturn is fighting alone. How did she cover such distance in such little time?"

Jupiter answered. "No idea. She seemed to know what was happening before we even told her."

"Okay." Sailor Uranus took charge. "Pluto, you'll go aid Saturn; Mercury and Jupiter, help evacuate the area; Neptune," she gave her a playful smile, "Wanna see who gets the most drones?"

Neptune shrugged. "If you feel like playing games, I guess I'll humor you." She then turned to Mercury. "Where's the largest group?"

"Umm, the southeast area."

"Then let's get going," Pluto said. Everyone nodded and split up.

"GET AWAY!" The boy threw stones at the spitter drone desperately as he backed away. Behind him was his girlfriend, unable to do anything but cry. The purple bug stepped closer, its acid reserve was depleted at the moment, but it would recover soon. This fact was the only reason the youths were still alive. Suddenly the girl tripped and both fell. The drone now had enough acid to dissolve both, if not instantly. It drew its head back. The kids hugged each other waiting for the inevitable.

Then, two gunshots were heard. The drone felt a couple of stings in its back. It turned around, the kids looked also. Karasu stood there defiantly, aiming his gun at the spitter. "You want a fight? Try me for size." He shot the drone again. The bullet bounced harmlessly off its chest. Karasu took a look at the gun. "This isn't very effective now, is it?" The drone was programmed to deal with those with weapons first. It turned completely and took aim. Just as it opened its mouth, Karasu fired again. The spitter's head blew up because of the bullet's heat plus the acid. "Everything has a weak spot. You just gotta know where it is." Karasu boasted as he spun the gun on his finger. He stared at the kids who were still in shock. "What? Is Karasu no shi too scary for you?"

"Behind you!" the girl screamed.

Karasu turned a saw a skeleton drone ready to slice him in half. Before anyone could move, a red rose appeared in each of the monster's eyes. Blinded, it jerked back in pain. Wasting no time, Karasu drew out his katana and sliced the drone in half. The girl turned and went misty-eyed when she saw her savior.

"Tuxedo Kamen!" she exclaimed with twinkles in her eyes.

"Cool," her boyfriend said, "I wonder if Sailor Jupiter is around."

Karasu smacked both of them on the back of their heads. "Hey! We didn't save your asses so you could get an autograph. Now get the hell out of here, _ándale!_" Both kids were too scared to reply and did as they were told.

"You're not fooling anyone you know," Tuxedo Kamen told Karasu.

"_Qué?_"

"You insist on terrifying people, some of the things you have done merit being condemned. But your heart is in the right place and your intentions are honorable, you just need someone to show you the right way."

"Listen '_Don Máscaras_'," Karasu said curtly, "You don't know what I'm after, you don't even know what I am."

"You're right, I don't," Tuxedo Kamen replied calmly, "but I'm willing to learn if you want to tell me."

Karasu was going to give another stinging comeback but kept his mouth closed. This guy was offering him help. It would be pretty stupid to reject such an offer after what happened with the violet-eyed girl. He felt someone near the building. "We'll talk later. Right now there are more important things to do."

Tuxedo Kamen nodded as he looked in the same direction as Karasu. "Right, the other senshi are—" Karasu had vanished. The future king shook his head. "His manners also need improving."

Kashaku observed the warrior's actions from afar. He was surprised to see that he had treated Tuxedo Kamen in such a polite manner. Later in the day, he would find out what caused such radical change in his behavior. He set his sight on the main building, he also felt Paul's presence. He flew to the warrior's side; after all, another of his duties was to serve as a herald.

A scream caught his attention as he flew over the yard. He saw a group of kids, thirteen, possibly twelve-year olds, trying to elude a trio of wasps. He glimpsed at a girl's face and a memory sprung. He remembered a war centuries ago, a whole village slaughtered. He was one of the commissioned to carry the souls of the children. He descended a bit, then went back up again. _I watch and counsel, but do not interfere_. He heard another cry and remembered the weigh of those souls. Heavy for having their life taken so early. Kashaku continued his flight. _My duty is to watch over the warrior, nothing else_. He heard a third cry. At this moment he would have gritted his teeth, if he had any. He wished he could but… _Arrgh, Damn the laws!_

"CAW!" Kashaku made a sharp turn and dove towards one of the wasps. It never knew what hit it. Kashaku dug his talons into it and slammed it to the ground, killing it instantly. And as fast as he landed, he took off again.

As was stated before, despite his appearance he had abilities beyond those of earthly creatures. His kind possessed a hawk's speed, an eagle's strength and a swallow's dexterity, plus other skills. No known guardian had ever displayed them like this however, since they were supposed to stay on the sidelines. This realization came to him as he pecked off the second wasp's head off in mid-flight. What would the consequences for his actions be? This moment of distraction almost cost him.

"Caw!" "Caw!"

Guardian turned his head when he heard the double call. He saw a wasp heading straight towards him, too close to evade it. Then two crows grabbed it in a dive, each grabbing an end. They twisted and ripped the wasp in half. Guardian watched in amazement._ Are those two?_ He wondered. As if to respond him, the duo pulled up and faced him. The three birds hovered, almost motionless, looking into each other's eyes. Then they bolted away from each other trying to put as much distance as they could between them. Kashaku shook his head. _Now I know I'm in trouble_.

The two crows hid in a tree and changed into sprites.

"Phobos-chan, do you have any idea what we just did?" the blue-clad sprite asked nervously.

"I know, I know," the red one answered, "We shouldn't have done that. But we couldn't let the guardian die either, you know what would happen to Karasu."

"Hai." Deimos thought for a moment. "Maybe if we say we were trying to save the children, they'll go soft on us."

Phobos wasn't so hopeful. "Search for loopholes later onee-chan, we have to find princess Mars now." They turned back into crows and flew.

"World Shaking!" Yet another batch of drones bites the dust. "Score ten more for me," Uranus said with a chuckle. Neptune didn't acknowledge her, she just kept blasting drones. Uranus had enough. "Okay, let's wager. If I win, you must tell me what's been bothering you all week."

"You could just ask instead of making this a competition, you know," the ocean senshi responded.

"I know, but it's easier to make you talk when you feel obliged."

"Fine. Submarine reflection!" An even larger group fell. Neptune snickered. "You're twenty points behind."

"No problem," Uranus said as the spun the Star sword, "As long as they keep coming in tight formations, I'll catch up."

The drone that seemed to lead the swarm, a spitter, took a look at the senshi and at the fallen ones around. It then gave a long chirp. As one, the drones fanned into a wide formation, creating various individual targets.

Uranus gulped. "They…ah…learn fast, don't they?"

Neptune shrugged. "You're just nervous because now you can't beat the point difference," she teased her love, although there was nervousness in her voice, "Submarine Reflection!"

Elsewhere, Paul caught two students who were trying to escape. He gave one a roundhouse kick to the neck and grabbed the other by the head. Twist, snap, dead. Quick and painless, that's how Paul liked to do things, unlike his partners. At his feet was a drone. This one was simply an overgrown roach, about two feet long. The only extraordinary thing about it was it's extra-long antennae.

"I can see none of you have changed."

Paul turned and found Karasu, katana on hand. "So it's you. The boss told me to be expecting you."

Karasu made a face of disappointment. "Damn. And I wanted to surprise all of you." He pointed the sword at Paul. "So what now? Do you run or cower?"

"I do what I've been ordered to child." Paul snapped his fingers. The drone leaped towards Karasu, whipping its antennae.

"_Qué rayos?!_" Before the warrior could react the roach wrapped its antennae around him. Paul took advantage of the situation and escaped. "You're not going anywhere!" Karasu tensed his muscles, trying to break free. But the drone just let him go by itself and flew away giving out an ear-piercing chirp as it did. Karasu covered his ears; he unplugged them after a while. He was puzzled by how the drone acted. _What was that for?_ He tried to sense Paul, but he was gone, it was probably because of the noise. _Great! Who knows how long until I find_—An image popped into his head. He snickered. _Muchas gracias Kashaku_.

Paul was also a bit dizzy because of the drone's call. He took a look at the ring he just put on his finger. Allen's instructions were to attract the warrior, let the tracker-drone get his scent and run back to headquarters. The ring would help him do so. According to Allen its function was to hide auras. Personally, he wanted to test his mettle against Karasu no shi. From what he had read in the newspapers, he could tell he was a formidable opponent. But, his duties to his superior came first. _I wonder if I will ever get the chance to_—"Oof!" Something tackled him from behind, Karasu. Paul took the ring off with disgust. "Stupid thing, don't even work."

"The ring works Paul," Karasu said, "it's just that it doesn't make you invisible to crow-vision." He pointed to a tree behind Paul. The ebon martyr turned around.

"_An interesting item_," Kashaku noted. "_How was it made? I wonder_."

"Who cares? Let's finish this." He lifted Paul up and sneered, "Ready to rejoin with Willy?"

Paul's look was expressionless. He grabbed Karasu's wrists. "As much as I want to leave this wretched world, child." He gave a quick turn and threw him over his shoulder. "I won't depart without a fight!"

Karasu got up and rubbed his back. "So you're a fighter like Chris, eh?"

Paul took a fighting stance. His moves showed he was a true professional. "I am the one who trained Chris and the others."

"Good." Karasu got into position. "For a moment I thought this would get boring."

Paul showed off his muscles by taking his jacket off slowly, ala Bruce Lee. "Ready child?"

Karasu gave a wide grin. "Let's dance. And stop calling me child."

Author's notes:

Kashaku: literally translated, it means: pangs of conscience. After a long search, I found this to be a perfect name for the guardian.

Pepe: A little joke. 'Pepe Grillo' is the Spanish name for Jiminy Cricket, Pinocchio's conscience. Also, Pepe is a nickname for people named Joseph. And in Mexico, we have a brand of tequila named: 'José Cuervo'.


	7. Death and Rebirth 7

****

Death and Rebirth

****

Chapter seven:

"Death scream."

Pluto's attacks weren't all that effective. Apparently all of the drones had heard the previous chirp and had switched to wider formations. But since her talisman wasn't that useful in hand to hand combat, she kept attacking from a distance.

Saturn was having no problem. Maybe it was her fury, but she twirled her glaive and moved in a beautiful and lethal dance. One by one the drones fell. "First they attack a hospital and now a school. Who are these people?" she asked as she beheaded another drone.

"I truly don't know," Pluto responded, "for the first time in eons I must guess what will happen."

One more drone was about to bite the dust when a second, more piercing chirp was heard.

"Death—YAAH!"

"WHERE IS THAT NOISE COMING FROM?" The chirp was short but quite painful. Saturn and Pluto where forced to close their eyes. When it finally stopped and they opened their eyes, they saw the drones departing. One of them flew right besides Pluto and just ignored her.

By this point, Saturn was just too confused and angry. "What is this? They're leaving just like that?"

"That call we heard obviously meant retreat," Pluto observed, "And if the conclusions we came up with previously are correct, the enemies' mission has now been accomplished."

Saturn's eyes widened in shock. If slaying children was simply a distraction, what could their true mission be? Her grip on the Silence Glaive tightened.

"Saturn." The youngest senshi started when she felt Pluto's hand on her shoulder. "We mustn't delay. We must think of the survivors and you are the only one who can help them at this point."

"Hai." Saturn set her glaive on the ground and started concentrating. Pluto could see violet strands of energy starting to gather around. Suddenly, Saturn's eyes snapped open and the energy vanished.

"Saturn, what's wrong?" Pluto asked perplexed.

Saturn took a few steps in an uncertain direction. She felt something, but couldn't tell what it was or how she felt it. Without warning, she sprinted.

"Saturn! Where are you going?"

"I don't know!"

Paul had trained most of his life in kung fu, he'd even developed his own style. Karasu only mimicked what he saw in movies and TV shows, but his supernatural abilities more than made up for his lack of skill. In truth, even though Karasu was mopping the floor with Paul, he was having some difficulty.

Paul fell for the fourth time, Karasu knelt beside him. "Didn't you say you taught Chris what he knew? I must be getting a lot better than I thought."

Paul answered with a growl. "So far you've proven to be strong, but your technique leaves a lot to be desired." He sighed in disappointment. "Fighting you didn't turn out to be such an honorable experience—urk!"

"Don't talk to me about honor!" Karasu raised Paul by the neck, his eyes getting blacker as he spoke. "Your sick philosophy sickens me. If you knew what it is you truly do…" A sadistic leer came to his features. "In fact let me present to you those souls you've been so **kind** to." He dropped Paul like a heap of trash and was about to place his hand on him.

"Silence Glaive surprise!"

Stones from behind him suddenly showered Karasu. He turned to see his attacker. "You again? Can't you sell cookies like normal girl scouts?"

Saturn rolled her eyes at the lame insult, but kept her glaive pointed straight at the undead warrior. "I don't know if you are my enemy, my ally or just a pain in the neck. But the one beside you holds the answers that we need. So step away, slowly."

Karasu stomped on Paul's stomach. "This guy is a murderer and I'm the one who will make him pay." He unsheathed his katana and pointed it at Saturn. "I don't care if we're the same kind. Beat it."

Saturn responded by rushing forward and taking a swing with her glaive. Karasu gave a wide jump backwards. He remembered all too well what a senshi's weapon could do to him.

"First of all, I'm not an undead, and don't you dare call me **that** either; second, killing this man will hinder our plans and probably do you more harm than you may think."

Karasu took a fighting stance. "You want to end up head over heels again? Be my guest." He charged at Saturn, planning to knock her unconscious and then finish off Paul. The silent senshi had gotten wise to his moves though. She easily sidestepped the attack, throwing Karasu off balance. He quickly recovered and threw a kick, which Saturn barely blocked.

Kashaku watched as the match continued. More than a fight, they looked like two children roughhousing.

Saturn caught Karasu's coat with the curve of her glaive and pulled it over his head. Suddenly blinded, he could do nothing but stumble around. Saturn swiped his legs, causing him to fall face first. She stepped away and watched from behind as he tried to get up.

"My oh my, you do fill out those pants quite well." Karasu pulled his coat away from his face and glared at Saturn, she retorted with a kawaii smile. "We're even," she announced as she stuck out her tongue. Karasu decided to laugh along with her.

"Indeed we are." His expression changed as he looked around anxiously. "Where's Paul?"

"Nani?"

"The guy I was about to kill!"

Saturn looked, Paul had indeed escaped. "Damn it! We needed him for questioning."

Karasu growled. "_Hijo de perra's_ still wearing that ring." He gave Saturn a menacing look. "I hope you're proud of what you've done."

"Me? I was covering him when you charged at me."

"Well, he shouldn't have gone far. I can still find him through crow-vision." He went off in Paul's pursuit.

"Oh no, you're not vanishing this time." Saturn ran after Karasu.

Unseen, Pluto followed the pair. She'd witnessed the entire encounter, but did not interfere. Being responsible for the time gate often meant having to stay at the sidelines, but this time she was bonded by something she rarely felt, uncertainty.

Mercury and Jupiter searched the area for survivors. So far, their efforts had proven futile.

Jupiter found another cleaved corpse. "It's no use. If there are any survivors, they're probably already with the ones outside."

"Hai," Mercury answered in defeat. She and Jupiter were about to leave when a yelp came out of somewhere. "Did you hear that?"

"Hai!" Jupiter responded as they started searching. Soon they found a thirteen-year-old cowering in a corner. In front of him were his friends, all dead. He couldn't do anything for them then, and all he could do now was shiver. He winced at Jupiter's touch. "Is he hurt?"

"Not physically at least," Mercury answered, "Better get him outside with the others."

Outside, the rest of the senshi had reunited. Neptune and Venus were apart, tending the injured along with Shigeru.

Uranus approached Sailor Moon. "I took a look at the number of survivors. It seems that the majority made it out safely."

"What about the ones who didn't?" she asked somberly, "The ones who we were too late to save."

"Princess, try to make the best of the situation. Some were lost true, but we still managed to come out ahead." Uranus slapped herself mentally when Sailor Moon retorted with an appalled glare. At times like these she wished she could be more sensitive.

"That's your philosophy? 'Some people died. But hey! We whacked a lot of monsters'." Sailor Moon clenched her fists. Tuxedo Kamen came close to comfort her. "I know I have to be strong. No matter how many are lost, I must look after to ones who still live." She stared at Uranus straight in the eye. "But I can't be made of stone. I can't help feeling other people's pain."

Uranus said nothing. She remained speechless whenever Sailor Moon displayed this behavior, the one of a true queen. And day by day it was occurring more often.

"Hey! We've got a live one here." Mercury's voice got everyone's attention. She was coming out of the building. Behind her was Jupiter, carrying the pre-teen, who was white as a ghost.

Everyone ran over to them. Then Mars noticed something amiss. "Jupiter, behind you!"

"Nani?" Before she realized what was happening. Someone knocked her down and grabbed the boy. She grunted both from the pain and the fact that they now had a hostage situation.

Normally, Paul would never even think of taking a hostage. Putting anyone through this kind of ordeal was against everything he believed in. But his survival instincts were overriding his senses, he had to get out, no matter what. "Everyone stay cool, or I snap his neck in a second. Understood?"

The senshi tried edging closer, but when they saw Paul tighten his grip around the boy's neck they halted. Sailor Moon kept approaching however, very carefully.

"Please. If you wish for your freedom, we grant it to you. But let the child go, there's no need for more lives to be taken."

"Don't give me that kind of bullshit," Paul retorted, "I know how negotiators work. I've dealt with them before. It's all lies. The minute I let go of him, you will be all over me and ready to blast me apart."

"Ie!" Sailor Moon was trying her best not to lose control of the situation. She had never dealt with hostages before. "Look, I understand you need a guarantee for your safety. But we need one for his." She gave him a stern look. "How can **we** be sure he'll survive?"

Paul looked back into the princess' eyes. He realized that part of her spirit was that of a warrior, and as such, she understood honor. "All I can give you is my word as a fighter."

"So you just give a promise and we let you go?" Uranus exclaimed, "Fat chance of that buster."

"Uranus, please!"

"I give my word that I will release my hostage once I'm sure of my safety," Paul stated, "Do you accept this?" Sailor Moon thought carefully. She didn't want more lives lost. She was about to respond when…

"He won't let him live. Not after this."

Everyone turned around. Most of the senshi recognized the dark-clothed youth that carried a katana in his right hand. Following him came Saturn.

"He'll kill him, that's the only thing we can be certain about," Karasu stated, giving Paul that cold, dark stare.

Sailor Moon turned back to Paul. She could see that he was becoming more anxious. _Ie, ie, ie! Everything was working out all right._

Tuxedo Kamen spoke to Karasu, "You stay out of this and let us work this out. Understood?"

Karasu answered, but didn't turn away from Paul. "I know how Paul thinks. I'm the best man for the job here." He took a step towards Paul. "You take pride in being an honorable fighter, right? What honor is there in hiding behind children?"

Saturn got closer to the warrior. "What are you trying to do? Get him killed?" she scolded.

"Shut up. This is your fault. Remember?" he muttered back.

Paul's expression softened, then he answered calmly: "There is none." The senshi were surprised to see Paul release the boy, Uranus sprinted and took him away. "You are shrewd when the need arises, Karasu no shi." He took a fighting stance. "I correct myself, it will be an honor to fall before you."

Karasu planted his sword on the ground. "Then let's continue where we left off."

The senshi watched in amazement as the pair fought. Paul was fighting with renewed confidence, and so was Karasu. Uranus wasn't too thrilled though.

"This is crazy. We should stop those two. If Karasu kills the other guy, we'll loose our only lead to the drones."

"Hai, we will," Tuxedo Kamen said, "but you heard what they said. This is their fight and we mustn't interfere, no matter the outcome."

"Is it me, or are you getting better at this?" Karasu asked as he threw a roundhouse kick.

Paul gave an uppercut while answering. "It is all about motivation. I fight for what I know is right."

"Really? So you think it's right to kill children?"

"When their innocence and freedom is stolen, yes. It is the most compassionate thing you can do for them." Paul grabbed Karasu and threw him over his shoulder. The warrior got up, showing his back to Paul.

"Oh yes, scars made to the soul can never be healed," Karasu's tone was both sarcastic and menacing,

"Experiences like this haunt us in nightmares forever. It is an act of kindness and charity to take these wretches out of this world of cruelty." Paul charged and threw a punch, Karasu caught Paul's arm under his own.

"You already told me that Paul, one year ago, when you hunted us down! WHEN YOU TOOK MY SISTER AWAY!" Paul's eyes widened when he heard that bit of information. Vague memories surfaced in his mind. Karasu flexed his fingers. "Here, let me show you what I mean." He placed his hand over Paul's face. Paul shook for a few seconds before Karasu dropped him on the floor, unconscious. The undead teen just stood there with a dazed look. "Whoa, you really are screwed up." He shrugged. "Oh well, let's get this over with." The raised his foot and hovered it right above the fallen man's head.

"Hold!" Pluto stepped forward. "You've already beaten him. There's no need for you to slay him."

"Yes there is," Karasu stated, "I want to get back where I belong as soon as possible and this is the only way I can do it."

"Ie, it's not. If you would only listen to us—"

"Look, you may be friends with my guardian but that doesn't make you mine."

Kashaku ruffled his feathers. "_Warrior, hush!_"

"Nani?" Pluto's eyes widened. "Behind you!"

"_Qué?_"

A blue drone, with extra large wings rushed towards Karasu and clawed his torso open. He fell back about six feet, blood gushing like a fountain. Then it spun and grabbed the unconscious Paul.

"Ie!" Sailor Moon rushed over to Karasu, as well as the other senshi. Everyone ignored the drone as it flew away. Tuxedo Kamen got to him first and had to make a quick sidestep when Karasu pulled out a gun right in his face.

"Jeez!"

He fired at the drone like crazy, but the pain running through his body caused him to miss. He stopped after a while and took several deep breaths. He looked around and saw all of the senshi staring at him. They witnessed in horror and disgust as his entrails crawled back into place and the large gash over his chest healed and disappeared without leaving a trace. Everyone was speechless, even Venus and Uranus, who had been expecting something like this. Karasu noted how all ten heroes, Venus and Neptune had arrived a few moments earlier, stared at him. He just ignored them and walked over to pick up his katana.

"If regeneration disgusts you so much, you may not want to hang around me. This happens to me very often."

"Ie," Sailor Moon blushed thinking she may have insulted Karasu by staring, "it's just that—"

A yelp caught everyone's attention. It was the boy Paul had been holding hostage. He suddenly went into a seizure!

"Kami! Mercury, Saturn get over here!" Uranus called.

Karasu stood still while everyone else ran over to help. This was a perfect opportunity for his vanishing trick. But then he caught a glimpse of the boy's face, this whole ordeal had taken a heavy toll on him. He turned away, his business was vengeance. A year or two of therapy and the kid would be all right_. There's no need and I don't wish to help that wimp_, he thought as he headed over to lend a hand. _Pinche conscience of mine_.

Mercury and Saturn tried their best at helping the lad. The rest of the senshi gathered round. No one could do anything.

"There's not much we can do for him," Mercury said, "The only way we can help is by staying with the students while an ambulance arrives."

Saturn twisted her hands over the glaive. "Moments like these make me feel so useless. What good is it to have this power if its purpose is to destroy?" Sailor Moon walked over to comfort her young friend when she was pushed aside.

"Out of my way," Karasu shouted as he shoved his way between Jupiter and Sailor Moon.

"Hey!"

"Baka!"

Karasu ignored their protests and kept going. Someone stopped him by holding his arm, it was Uranus.

"If you think I'm letting you near that kid. You've got another thing coming."

Karasu pulled himself free. "You want that kid to end up in a loony bin? Stand aside!"

Uranus didn't answer, but followed him. This lady needed a lesson in trust badly. Although so far, Karasu had given no real reason to be trusted.

The warrior approached the trio. The two senshi watched him warily, Saturn more so. Her ribs were still aching.

"Step away from the kid. And be careful not to touch us," Karasu warned, in a loud voice so everyone could hear, "I'm not quite sure of what I'm doing here."

Mercury and Saturn looked at each other in uncertainty. Moments ago, his voice sounded like an echo from hell. Now, it was more peaceful, although not human. Still, they did as they were told.

"Remember mister," Saturn warned, "I'm keeping my eye on you."

"It's the make up," Karasu quipped, "makes me more irresistible." He placed his hand on the boy's forehead and braced himself, whatever was going to happen it would hurt him. He winced the second the process started; the kid however had a more violent reaction. Uranus got the wrong impression.

"I knew it!" She charged towards Karasu. The moment she touched him, her face showed pure terror. "IE!" She jerked her hand away as if she had touched a hot iron bar. She then fell to the ground gripping herself.

"Uranus!" Neptune rushed over to her love. She saw the look on her face. Her eyes were wide, as if she had seen something terrifying. In fact, she was nearly crying. "What did you do to her?"

Saturn was about to slice Karasu in half when a strong grip stopped her, Pluto.

"Hey, I warned you not to touch me. What happened was her fault only," he answered non-challantly.

Mercury looked at the kid again. He was unconscious, but now his face emanated peace. Despite all that he just went through. "What did you **do** exactly?"

"Took away his fear," Karasu responded, "He'll be fine by the time he wakes up."

"Took away his fear?" Sailor Mars asked as she approached, "What are you talking about?"

Karasu explained. "It's kind of an ability I have, one that I don't fully understand. It happened for the first time the other night while I bandaged that girl. I've kept doing it from time to time."

Venus snapped her fingers. "So that's why I feel so calm," she muttered.

"But what about Uranus?" Neptune demanded. Uranus was now recovering. "Why did she react the way she did?"

The undead shrugged. "I guess she absorbed some of it when she touched me. I honestly had no control over that." He then gave Uranus a mischievous grin. "Thanks for the assist though." She narrowed her eyes at that comment.

Karasu noted that there was nothing left for him to do. He started to leave when Sailor Moon halted him. This time however, he wasn't held with a threat but with a true smile.

"I do believe your actions have spoken for who you truly are," she said "Please, help us if you know anything about all this. I know we can aid you as well."

Karasu's expression darkened again as he raised his katana to Sailor Moon's neck. "Don't get any wrong impressions lady!" His voice retook its infernal register. "I feed on fear and pain, it's what makes me strong. That's the only reason I 'helped' this wimp."

The other senshi stepped forward the minute Karasu raised his sword, but didn't dare make any sudden moves. After watching the fight with Paul, they had some idea of his speed. Sailor Moon however didn't flinch, she didn't even blink. She just kept looking into Karasu's eyes, unfazed by the darkness within.

"I do believe she's called your bluff," Tuxedo Kamen said as he approached calmly, "I think you better consider our offer."

Karasu dropped the sword, laughing at his own defeat. Kashaku landed on his shoulder.

"_Mortal authorities approach. We must leave now, Warrior._"

"I've got to go now, but I will consider your offer. Meet me at the park nearby at midnight." This said, Karasu started to walk away. Saturn held him back with the flat of her glaive.

"No mysterious disappearance this time?" she teased.

Karasu shrugged. "Guess not—What the hell is that!?" Everyone turned around ready to face what the warrior had seen.

"There's nothing there," Mars said.

"Yes there is," Pluto corrected, "it's what we needed to look at so Karasu no shi could make his exit." She pointed back at Saturn, who was now holding her weapon against thin air.

"This," the violet-eyed senshi said, signaling the now empty space, "is getting very annoying."

"Never mind the sour grapes, Saturn. Your powers are needed now."

The youngest senshi looked at Pluto and nodded. Once again, she started gathering energy. In a few minutes she had gathered enough. "Rebirth aura!" The accumulated energy exploded. Nearby, the wounded students and teachers were healed.

Saturn had first used this power on one occasion when the senshi had to help out at a four-alarm fire. The rebirth aura could heal several people at once, although not completely. Still, those with serious wounds healed enough to be out of danger.

Once the 'explosion' was over, Saturn fell to her knees. Her senshi fuku glittered and faded away, leaving an exhausted Hotaru. This was the reason she didn't approach the group of evacuates, lest she revealed her identity.

Venus changed into Minako and took Hotaru home along with Michiru. Mercury and Mars went over to attend the evacuates. The rest of the senshi went to a more secluded area, in order to debate over what exactly was going to happen tonight.

"Mamo-chan and I will have to go," Usagi said as she reverted, "I know he won't try anything treacherous, but I would feel a bit safer if some of you would come with us."

"I'll go," Haruka responded almost immediately.

"Count me in," Makoto followed, "I've still got to thank him for helping us with that overfed mouse." She turned to Setsuna. "Want to come along Setsuna-san?" The emerald-haired woman seemed distracted. "Setsuna."

"Nani?"

Makoto tilted her head. "We all heard what Karasu said to you, so everyone knows who this particular guardian is."

"I must admit, that bit of news took me by surprise," Setsuna began, "I don't know if it will be best, but I will attend this rendezvous."

"Of course she will," Haruka teased, "After all, it's been a few millennia, I'm sure they'll have a lot to catch up on."

Setsuna narrowed her eyes at her friend. "I'll bring the tea and cookies."

"It's settled then," Mamoru stated, "We'll be at the park midnight sharp to meet Karasu."

"Are you he won't ditch us," Haruka asked doubtfully.

"I'm sure," he replied, "he won't admit it openly, but he knows he needs our help." _I just hope we can give it to him._

Whirlpool compound:

Paul opened his eyes. The bright lights of the infirmary blinded him for a while. It took some time for him to realize where he was. He heard a familiar, and annoying voice.

"Congratulations Paul," Hawkins said, "The tracker-drone got our target's scent and all the others are identifying it. Mission accomplished."

"Yeah right, thanks," Paul grunted groggily. His eyes widened suddenly. "Wait a minute. What happened? Where am I?"

"Paul, Paul, calm down," Kara said as she held her associate down. "You're back at the compound. Allen here sent out a drone to help you out in case you ran into trouble." Paul's eyes got even wider, then his face started to display pure rage, directly at Allen.

"You mean you pulled me out of battle and made me look as a coward? For what?"

"Paul, I'm hurt," Allen mockingly replied, "I thought you'd be more thankful for having your life saved."

"Life and honor are two different things. You have no right to interfere in my battles." The anger in Paul's voice scared Kara. He had always displayed loyalty towards Allen and never once raised his voice. The only one who did that was Chris, and he too used to measure his outbursts.

"Chris and Blaze are still unfit for work," Allen responded, not as calm as before, "I can't afford to lose either you or Kara."

Paul jumped of the cot and charged Allen. "And I suppose that I can spare my honor and dignity?"

Allen stopped Paul by placing his hand on his neck and lifting. The ebon martyr hung two feet in the air. "Before personal honor, there is loyalty to your superiors." Allen shook Paul and started yelling. "Are you forgetting our agreement?"

"Allen!"

"Mr. Poe!"

Allen paid no heed. He kept choking Paul until his face turned blue. Paul tried to speak, but could only gurgle. And just like that, Allen dropped him. Both of them breathing heavily, Allen clutched his heart.

"Hawkins…" Allen sounded exhausted, "prepare my room."

"Allen." Kara had never seen her love like this before. "Allen, are you all right?"

Allen stood straight despite the pain. He couldn't fall to his condition, he wouldn't, he was so close. "I'll be fine, my love." He started to walk away. "Hawkins."

"I'll get on it right away, Mr. Poe," Hawkins responded as his employer left. "Good thing I didn't mention the lost scanners," he muttered.

"What did you say?" Kara asked.

"Nothing, Miss Kara, nothing at all. Let us check on Blaze and Christopher," Hawkins babbled as he left.

Kara shook her head and stretched. "Thanks a lot, Paul, Allen and I had a great evening planned." She sighed. "Guess I'll go look for fun somewhere else. Now lets see, should I go straight or bi?" She started to leave but Paul held her back.

"Kara wait. I need to ask you a favor."

Kara's eyes widened. "Why Paul, I didn't know you thought about me like that!" Her voice turned seductive. "How long have I've been your fantasy?"

"Can't you think of anything else? I'm serious!" Paul snapped. "Now," he said more calmly, "you have access to some of Poe's files, right?"

"Um… yes, but."

"I need you to get some of them for me."

"Are you joking?" Kara stepped away. "Last time I only took a peek and he almost scared me to death. What would he do if I stole them and showed them to someone else?"

"It's important, Kara. That story Poe told us about the warrior," Kara nodded in understanding, "I don't think he told us the entire truth."

"What do you mean?"

Paul rubbed his neck. "I'm not certain. But Poe must have the answers and only you can get them."

Kara raised her hands. "Look. If you want to play Sherlock, do it on your own. I'm not getting involved."

"But—"

"No buts." Kara said as she left.

Paul crossed his arms. He'll just have to figure this out on his own. And if his suspicions we're right… He shuddered at the thought. Part of him hoped he was wrong.

Outer senshi manor:

"Okay, see ya tomorrow, Saori-chan." Minako hung up the phone. "Well, it seems my understudy did a great job. Hope she mentions me when she goes to the Oscars."

Michiru was kneeling next to Hotaru, who was sound asleep on the couch. She was so exhausted, the poor kid.

"Don't worry too much, Mina-chan. When I started out as a senshi my duties interfered with my performances all the time. But I was still able to manage a bit of fame."

Minako raised an eyebrow. "As I recall, Michiru-san, you were well known **before **becoming a senshi."

Michiru scanned her mind for a witty reply. "But no senshi has yet obtained the same level of popularity as Sailor V. And after all these years, she's still a hot item."

"Only because of the fact that I still wear that guise occasionally." Minako paused. She realized that she was looking for an argument to make herself seem less. Her sight slowly focused on Michiru's lips, which she was trying not to let bend into a grin. Her little trap had been discovered. "Isn't there anything that we inners can beat you outers at?"

"Hai, making us laugh." Michiru couldn't stand it anymore and burst out laughing, Minako quickly joined in. Hotaru tossed in her sleep and they both stopped abruptly, hoping they hadn't disturbed her. Michiru gently pulled dark strands of hair away from the girl's face.

"Changing the subject," Minako said, "What's wrong with the two love birds?"

"Meaning?"

"Come on. Hard times between you two are rare. But when they do happen, there all too obvious. So I'll ask again: What's wrong?"

Michiru sighed. About two years ago, Setsuna was the only one she would trust whenever something like this happened. Now, even though Minako and the others had matured and could be trusted in these matters. Part of her still felt like she was confiding to a child.

"I'll admit it, I have been a little upset at Haruka's attitude. I mean, sometimes she acts too much like a man."

"Yeah well," Minako shrugged, "If they were already perfect, they'd take away all the fun of whipping them into shape." She raised an eyebrow. "And given the fact Haruka is only a tomboy, you didn't have much to do."

"Don't think so," the older girl replied, "I still had my work cut out for me." They continued on the 'All men are pigs' topic, until they heard Hotaru moan in her sleep. They turned their attention to her and saw her tossing again, a bit too violently this time. Minako inched closer.

"Is she all right?" She placed her hand on Hotaru's shoulder and tried to rouse her. "Hotaru-chan? Hotaru-chan wake UP!?"

Giving out what sounded like a war cry, Hotaru jumped from her position and tackled Minako down. Michiru fell back in surprise to this action. Hotaru tried to beat on the blonde's face, but Minako was able to grab her wrists just in time. Still, Hotaru struggled. She looked into Hotaru's eyes, they were open but she was still dreaming.

"Hotaru-chan, wake up! It's me, Mina-P!" But the violet-eyed girl kept on trashing.

"Hotaru enough!" Michiru gathered her courage and slapped Hotaru, who fell back from the blow. "Are you all right, Mina-chan?"

"Don't mind me. What about Hotaru-chan?"

Hotaru had calmed down as Michiru had hoped. She was rubbing her cheek as she woke up, for real this time. "Nani? What happened?" As tactfully as they could, both friends told her what had happened. "Ara," Hotaru gasped, "I must have had another one of those dreams."

"Dreams?" Minako asked dumbfounded, "From what kind of a dream do you wake up acting like a bronco?"

"Hotaru-chan," Michiru's voice showed deep concern, "Have you had these dreams before?"

Hotaru looked down, she didn't want her parents to worry about her. Especially now, when they all had important matters to attend. Also, she wanted to deal with this by herself, with no help whatsoever.

"Hai, I've been having them for several days now."

"What are they about?" Minako inquired.

Hotaru answered with a short laugh. "I honestly don't know. A few seconds after awakening I'm able to recall bits of information, but these quickly fade away."

Minako pondered for a moment. "Do you think these dreams mean something?"

"Premonitions? Ie, I doubt the harbinger of doom should be allowed to see the future. If I did, the message would be too clear." The tone in her voice made it unclear whether she was being sarcastic or serious.

"Maybe we should pay a visit to Rei-chan," Michiru suggested, "I'm sure she'll be able to figure out something."

"Perhaps, if Haruka-papa trusts her enough to get into my head." Hotaru got up. "I'm turning in, I need some real sleep." Minako and Michiru watched as the girl went up the stairs. Just before she got to the top she called out: "And don't check on me, it'll be safer. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Hime-chan."

"Uh yeah, goodnight." Minako got closer to her friend. "Have you noticed that about Hotaru-chan?" she asked in a low voice.

"The fact that she's giving herself the title of a destroyer more often than before?" The aqua-haired girl looked up. "Not until now, and I'm sorry I didn't before."

The Park, 12:15 AM:

Sailor Moon, Tuxedo Kamen, Sailor Jupiter, Uranus, Pluto, Venus and the two cats stood around, waiting for Karasu no shi. The latter wanted to come too so she could thank him for saving hers and Saori's life back at the theater. She just had to think of a way to do so without revealing her identity. She also wanted Mars to bring along Phobos and Deimos, see how they would hit it off with the guardian. But the twins firmly refused.

"You guys noticed how that thug fainted after Karasu put his hand on him?" Jupiter asked, "He must have done something similar as what he did to that kid."

"That is obvious," Luna said, "To tell the truth, I find that ability to use a person's emotions as a weapon quite frightening." She paced around. "I wish you were able to find out more about him, Setsuna-san, or that Phobos and Deimos were allowed to reveal more."

"Knowing it all would take away the challenge, Luna-san," Pluto replied with her Monalisa grin, "Now that I've thought about it, learning as we go makes it all the more fun."

"Well no one is going to learn anything unless Karasu shows up," Uranus said frustrated. She looked at a clock-tower yonder. "Twenty minutes late. Is he coming or not?"

"Caw!"

Everyone looked up and saw Kashaku. He circled a few times and landed on a low branch, right in front of Uranus. She felt shivers when she looked into his eyes.

"Does he answer your question?" Sailor Moon teased.

"O.K., the bird's here. But where's the warrior?"

"Over here."

"YIPE!" Uranus jumped forward when she heard that creepy voice whisper into her ear. She spun and saw Karasu emerge from the shadows.

"Boo."

"That wasn't funny," Uranus growled.

"I wasn't?" Karasu asked in mock surprise, "Your friends seem to disagree," he pointed out. Uranus turned around and saw her companions trying to hide their faces or pretend they didn't see anything. Kashaku flew over and landed on Karasu's shoulder, who walked up to Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen. "Queen Serenity and King Endymion, I presume."

"We're Eternal Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen," the future queen replied, "Not royalty just yet."

"_Then with you we shall converse, your highness_," Kashaku stated.

"I'll do the talking, Kashaku. You go wait over there."

Kashaku's beak dropped. "_Do you expect me to let someone like you talk unattended to—_SQWAK!" Karasu swatted his guardian off his shoulder, instinct made him fly straight towards Pluto's arms.

"I can handle this by myself. Meanwhile, you can gossip with your friend _Morenita_." Kashaku sent his ward a long hard stare.

"Kid's giving you trouble?" Luna joked.

"_You have no idea._"

Karasu placed his whole attention on the leaders of the senshi. He saw Jupiter and Uranus standing right behind the pair. "Who are you two supposed to be? The 'senshi service'?"

"No offense, Karasu," _Though you do deserve a bit_, "but we have to take precautions," Jupiter answered, "You see, we haven't had pleasant experiences when dealing with, with…"

"Monsters?" Karasu assisted.

"Ie, that's not what Jupiter meant!" Sailor Moon exclaimed.

"That's what I am, princess," he stated, "I'm not gross enough to be a zombie or have the magic to be a demon. But one thing I'm sure of, I'm not human."

"Well at least you're not in denial of your defects," Uranus mocked.

"Unlike other people, who shall remained unnamed," Karasu retorted.

Pluto petted Kashaku's head, "It's nice to finally meet again, Guardian."

"_Likewise, Lady Pluto, and in the Earth realm I might add. By the way, the warrior has given me a name, I am now known as Kashaku._"

"It becomes you," Pluto complemented. She introduced the others, "These are my friends: Sailor Venus, Luna-san and Artemis-kun."

"Pleased to meet you, Kashaku-san," Venus greeted cheerfully.

"And the ones accompanying the prince and princess are Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Uranus," Pluto completed.

Kashaku hopped down to the bench where Luna and Artemis were sitting. "_Lady Luna and Sir Artemis. You two are from planet Mau, correct?_"

"Hai," Luna responded, "and please, don't treat me with such formalities, I don't want them to go to my head."

"I noticed Karasu is giving you trouble," Artemis commented, "I could give you a few tips. I still remember the pains I had to go through instructing Venus."

"Watch it cat," the senshi of love warned.

"_I appreciate it, Sir Artemis, but I am not allowed to accept aid in guiding the warrior_."

Artemis nodded. "Oh yeah, Phobos and Deimos told us about that."

"How about," Luna suggested, "instead, we tell you how to handle a teenager?"

"_I'm all ears!_"

Sailor Moon took the first word: "Karasu, Phobos and Deimos, two crows from the same race as Kashaku, have told us about you and other warriors that came before. We can only assume what has happened to you, how you lost your life as a human."

"You can assume," Karasu replied somberly, "that's not the same as knowing for sure. You have no idea, you can't even fathom what I had to suffer!" He laughed, half sadly, half mockingly. "If you thought you could convince me through sympathy, then we have all wasted our time. Good night," he said as he started to leave.

"Hold it buster," Jupiter called out as she stepped forward, "Tell me, how old are you?"

The undead teen thought for a moment before answering. "Fifteen I guess, I don't think I aged during the year I spent dead. A pretty nice age to die, ain't it?"

"Most of us were fourteen when we discovered we were the sailor senshi, some were even younger," the thunder senshi revealed, Sailor Moon nodded in agreement. "It's not much difference true, but we know what it's like to have your world turned upside down. And believe it or not," her tone was deadly serious, "we now what death feels like."

"Do you?" Karasu asked in wonderment, "Was it something like this?" As fast as an arrow, Karasu placed his hand on Jupiter's face. A roar of pain was heard.

"Jupiter!" Venus and the rest rushed over when they heard the cry. But it wasn't Jupiter who they found kneeling on the floor trembling, it was Karasu.

"What just happened here?" the tall brunette asked.

"_Psychic backfire_," Guardian explained as he landed on her shoulder, "_it occurs whenever the warrior uses his powers against an innocent without his or her consent_." He turned his gaze to his ward. "_Tell us Warrior, what did you see?_"

Karasu got up slowly, shaking the confusion out of his head. "Two battles, a field of ice and a void filled with stars, you fought and died, defending what you knew to be right."

Jupiter and Venus trembled as they remembered the final battles with Beryl and Galaxia. "Now you see that we haven't lied to you," the former said softly.

"But it's still different," Karasu replied, "When you fought, you knew of the consequences. You were already mature as warriors. I wasn't, I was only a child, and I didn't go around fighting demons and strengthening my will. My life changed and ended in just one night. Plus, you only know what it's like to die." He paused for a moment and gazed at the stars. The ones listening wondered what this last comment meant.

"I saw something else," he added, "when you said goodbye to the two people you loved the most for the last time. You do know what it means to lose a loved one." He lowered his gaze and looked into Jupiter's eyes. Her eyes were turning misty, they displayed sadness, loss, loneliness… He felt like such a jerk.

Tuxedo Kamen approached and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "It's true that not one person can understand the pain of another," he began, "Our suffering is unique to each of us, but it is a common factor to all humanity. Long ago we've learned that it becomes easier to bear with friends rather than alone. We will ask you again, will you let us help you?"

Karasu let these words sink into his mind. These people really wanted to help him, despite his actions. His life was spent in solitude. That girl, the one with amethyst eyes. She wanted to help him again and again, no matter how much he pushed her away. When she finally had enough he realized how stupidly he'd been acting. How could he refuse?

"I'm afraid the answer is no," Karasu said at last, "First, I'm not a team player, joining your team could endanger your lives, and Kashaku has told me what your presence could herald." Usagi nodded in understanding. "Second, I have already accepted a similar offer from somebody else earlier today. To accept another would be too much, too fast for someone of my nature."

"And who is that person, may I ask?" Uranus inquired.

"You may not and it's none of your business," he replied with a smirk. He gave a giant leap and perched himself on top of a lamppost. "The man I fought earlier is named Paul. I intended to increase his feelings of guilt when you saw him faint."

"Did you succeed?" Venus asked.

Karasu's expression darkened. "He believes death to be the ultimate release. He doesn't feel guilt for the ones he slays, but for the ones he fails to release of their suffering. He is insane and so are his companions." He got up. "If you want more information, find them before I do. They will not survive another encounter with me." Before anyone could respond, he jumped from one post to the next and out of sight.

Kashaku watched as his ward disappeared. He turned to the two cats. "_Tell me the truth, will it really be worth all the trouble?_"

Artemis walked up and placed a paw on the crow's shoulder. "It will. I've been through some hard times looking after Venus, but know that she's grown I can see how all my efforts were worthwhile."

"It was the same with Sailor Moon," Luna said as she approached her mate, "you wouldn't believe the headaches I suffered. Four years ago you couldn't conceive her being a princess. But now I can't help but feel pride when I look at her."

Kashaku looked at each of the animals and bowed. "_My thanks to you, Lady Luna, Sir Artemis_."

"Kashaku-san," Luna gave him a reminding stare.

"_Very well, Luna-san and Artemis-san_," he corrected and flew off.

Artemis turned to Luna, "Hey! I was starting to like that 'Sir' title."

Outers' Manor:

It was nearly 2:00 when Haruka finally got home. Somehow, driving around didn't help clear her mind. She tried to keep quiet as she got into her room, not wanting to wake up her soul-mate.

"How did the meeting go?"

"Michiru? Gomen nasai, did I wake you?"

"Ie, I wasn't that asleep," Michiru replied as she sat up, "So what did Karasu decide?"

"He wasn't clear on that matter," Haruka said as she got undressed, "He said that he was going to take somebody else's offer. Which could mean there's a fourth party involved now."

Michiru shook her head. "Maybe he just decided to make a friend. He might play dual identities like us." She took a deep breath. "And what will you do about Hotaru-chan and Carlos-san?"

"Navarro? I'm going to keep my eye on him also." She raised a fist. "If he thinks he can threaten Hime-chan and get away with it…"

"He threatened her?" the aqua-haired girl asked in alarm, "When?"

"Well, not her exactly but me, saying that I couldn't protect her all the time."

Michiru rolled her eyes. "Did it occur to you that he said that to bother you." She laid down. "If you want my advice, leave them alone and let Hotaru-chan handle the consequences."

"Nani?" The sand-blonde couldn't believe what she heard. "Do you know who we could be risking her to?"

"Do you?" Michiru jumped up and glared at Haruka. "Remember when we tried to shield Usagi from the 'Three lights'? And before that, Chibi-Usa from Hotaru-chan?"

Haruka was stunned by the anger in her voice. "Hai, but we had reason to—"

"Well we were wrong, very wrong. Not only that, we ended up hurting those we meant to protect," tears began to show, "I love Hotaru-chan, as my daughter I love her. I don't want to be the one who hurts her." She sat down again. There was a long pause in which Haruka heard her love's silent weeping. "The truth is," Michiru sobbed, "for once, I want to trust, just like Usagi-chan. To be naïve and let any stranger become my friend. Risk being hurt or betrayed, but not fear something that might not happen." She turned to face Haruka. "Let Hotaru-chan help Carlos-san, and trust Karasu not to be our enemy. Will you please do so?"

Haruka responded too quickly for her sake. "I can't, Michiru. I just can't take that chance."

Michiru's scowl slowly turned into a frown. "Then you make that choice alone." She lied down and pulled up the covers. "Goodnight, Haruka."

"Michiru—"

"**Good night**."

Haruka cringed at the anger in her voice. She kept still, listening as Michiru cried herself to sleep. It took Haruka thirty minutes to turn off the light. And a full hour to fall asleep.

Morenita: Diminutive and feminine for Moreno, a surname and a shade of brown. It is a nickname, and at times pet name, given to dark-skinned women. Obviously, Karasu was referring to Setsuna.


	8. Death and Rebirth 8

****

Death and Rebirth

****

Chapter eight:

Whirlpool compound:

Allen Poe, Kara and Paul waited in the lab for Hawkins to reveal his latest work.

"It took a lot of calculating and training, but we managed results right on schedule." He pushed a button and a hidden door opened. Allen gave an evil grin, Kara's eyes widened as she hid behind her lover, Paul gulped and held his pigeon tighter against himself. They couldn't believe what they saw.

"Tell me, Blaze. How are you feeling?" The sound of energy crackling was the response. "And you, Chris?" The cold hiss of metal against metal was heard.

"Just get us to that bastard mime, and we'll make this worthwhile," a no longer human voice replied.

Hotaru walked around aimlessly among the streets of Tokyo. She wore jeans, blouse and a jacket, all black. She dressed this way more out of habit than mourning. She left home early that morning, saying that a walk would help clear her mind from what had happened yesterday. This was only half the truth; she also walked around hoping to find someone. As it turned out, someone found her.

"Hey, Hotaru-chan!" It was Reiko, she caught up with her friend. "I guess you heard the news. About what happened at school yesterday."

Hotaru barely whispered her response. "Hai." She made a fist. _Why do these things happen? What could possibly be gained from such tragedy?_

"You're lucky you were at that play where your friend acts. I heard it was something out of a nightmare."

Hotaru briefly gave Reiko a surprised look. Then she remembered that Reiko ignored that she was also Sailor Saturn. She gave a sad smile. "It's also a good thing that you get as far away from school as you can when the bell rings."

Reiko giggled. "Hai, for once my parents were grateful that I'm not such a dedicated student."

"I guess it's true then, only the good die young."

Both girls turned around in surprise and saw that someone was following them. "Navarro-sempai," they muttered. Like Hotaru, he wore black from head to toe, boots, pants and a long-sleeved shirt. Plus the trademark sunglasses and ponytail. He approached the other two and stood right in front of Hotaru. They looked at each other silently for a while.

"Gomen/_Perdón._" Hotaru blushed and Carlos rubbed the back of his neck. Meanwhile, Reiko had no idea what was going on between these two; her head went from one side to the other as if she was watching a fast paced tennis match. Then it finally dawned upon her.

"I knew it!" she proclaimed with a snap of her fingers, "I knew you two would hit it off, I could tell you two were made for each other." Carlos gave Reiko a surprised look and Hotaru blushed even more.

"Ie, you've got the wrong idea!"

"Listen kid," Carlos called out calmly, "We've got some important things to discuss. And if you don't mind, we'd like to do so privately," this last part was said in a more menacing tone.

"Umm, hai, whatever you say, sempai." She whispered into Hotaru's ear before leaving. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"Reiko-san!" Hotaru waited for her friend to get out of sight. Once the redhead was gone, she spoke to Carlos again. "Sempai—" He raised his hand.

"Wait, let me go first, otherwise I will no longer have the nerve to talk." He took a deep breath. "I'm sorry I acted like such a jerk yesterday. I really didn't want to make you so angry, and I certainly didn't mean to make you cry." He sighed. "Whatever I did or said to scare you like that, I'm sorry."

Hotaru shook her head. "You didn't scare me. The way you acted just made me angry, that's what frightened me." Her eyes went down. "I apologize for calling you a…" She couldn't say it.

"Freak?" Carlos guessed, Hotaru nodded. "I don't see why you should apologize. It's not that bad an insult."

"It is to some, and it's a lot more painful when you grow up being called that." The sadness in her voice was starting to get to Carlos. He tried his best not to show any empathy.

"No offense but, you look like any other girl to me. Why would anyone try to hurt you?"

"It's simple, I'm different." They started walking. "Here in Japan, one must be a part of society, anyone who acts differently from the status quo automatically becomes an outcast."

Carlos gave out a laugh. "Guess I'll never be a part of anything then." He shrugged. "No skin off my nose really. But why did people consider you not to belong?"

Hotaru gulped, she was recalling some very painful memories. It was hard enough to remember, let alone talk about them. But she was determined to help Carlos, and this could probably be the only chance she would get.

"Momma died when I was very young, too young to even remember her. Poppa he, he became devastated. All he could do to keep from going insane was to bury himself in his work. He forgot all about the world around him," her sadness increased, "he forgot all about me." A moment of silence passed. "I don't know whether it was voluntarily or not but I, like you, locked myself out of the world. In time my body became frail and I was constantly ill. This disgusted my classmates, they kept away thinking that I might have had something contagious. I just sat by myself in my little dark corner, all alone."

Carlos nodded. "With that kind of behavior people would consider you to be shy, maybe a little weird. But why call you freak? I don't get it."

"They called me that because of what I can do. And the only reason they haven't called me that again is because I've become more discreet."

"Discreet doing what? Converting us sociopaths?" Hotaru narrowed her eyes at the Latin boy. "It's a joke. I'm trying to make you relax."

Hotaru giggled. "Well it's kind of working, kind of." She bit her lip. Should or shouldn't she show him. On one hand, it would help him understand her; on the other hand, he would probably become terrified like everyone else. _Navarro-sempai scared? What am I thinking?_ "Give me your hand."

"_Qué?_"

"Your hand, I know those three cut open your palm when you fought yesterday. I need you to show me your wound."

Carlos was a bit perplexed by that request. He took a look at the wound that Shiro, or rather Uranus, had made. The scar was large and red. "It still bleeds from time to time, but it's nothing to worry about. You really shouldn't be concerned." Hotaru took his hand among hers.

"It's not an infection what concerns me." Carlos was about to ask what she meant by that when he saw her hand emit a violet glow. His eyes widened as his scar became smaller and disappeared completely. Hotaru took a deep breath once she was done. She glanced at Carlos, who was flexing and stretching out his fingers in disbelief. "All the people who saw that think it's gross. That's why they called me weird, freak…witch."

Carlos rubbed his palm. Yes indeed, it was completely healed. And unlike regeneration, he didn't feel any pain. He looked back at Hotaru, who nervously awaited an answer. "And you used to do this often? Even when they treated you so?"

"I couldn't stand seeing people get hurt. Whether it was something serious or just a scratch, I would rush over and heal them. Or at least try. They became afraid of me and I became rejected, but I still wanted to help." She placed herself in front of Carlos and confronted him face to face. "Tell me the truth Navarro-sempai. Do you it's gross?"

Carlos didn't hesitate to answer. "Yeah, I think it's gross." Hotaru felt her world fall apart when she heard those words. "Had I been you, I would have said: 'Bleed to death and go to hell for all I care'. I wouldn't have wasted my strength on ingrates like those." Hotaru recovered a bit, but still, what kind of an answer was that? Carlos dug his hands into his pockets and continued. "But that's only my opinion. Your guardian is right, you're the one who should be afraid of me."

Hotaru thought about that for a while, "Hai, you are frightening Navarro-sempai. Both from the things you do and the things you say." She smiled. "But I will not run and I will not hurt you. Not again."

Carlos grinned back at her. "You didn't hurt me, kid." He frowned. "Nobody can hurt me more than they have," he muttered.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing. But I'm still curious. I've seen the way you act at school, not that I've been checking you out mind you," he defended as Hotaru gave him an 'oh really' look, "Even though not many people hang around you, they still treat you nice. What happened to the sad lonely girl you described a moment ago?"

"Well, it's a bit hard to explain." _What's so hard about it? I destroyed an entity named Pharaoh 90 with a technique that can level a planet; I reincarnated as a baby and became adopted by three senshi. I grew up to seven in six months and all the way up to twelve in one night. It's as simple as that. _"Poppa passed away about three years ago. It turned out to be a sort of mixed blessing, because when that happened I was adopted by three wonderful people: Setsuna-mama, Michiru-mama and Haruka-papa."

"Haruka? Isn't that the _marimacho _pain in the ass that interrupted us yesterday?"

Hotaru's eyes widened. "I'm amazed, not many people can tell that Tenoh Haruka is actually a woman." She sighed. "Hai, she is quite overprotective. It gets on my nerves from time to time." She shook her head. "Anyway, they adopted me and everything became different. I obtained a new family, new school, I even got new friends."

"In other words," Carlos pondered, "your old self died along with your father, and you were given the chance to build your life all over again." He grinned. "You died and were reborn."

"That's a very accurate observation sempai." _Very accurate indeed_. She blinked as she realized something. _I guess Karasu and I **do** have a lot in common_.

Carlos was having similar thoughts as well. _I was literally reborn and given a second chance. And still I'm acting like an idiot._ He sighed somberly. _I'm doomed._

Blaze and Chris were standing on a rooftop somewhere. Chris was trying to figure out what seemed to be a combination radar/remote control. Fluttering around them was a green roach, a tracker drone.

"So you really think this little critter can sniff out the Karasu?" Blaze asked his companion.

"Well, Mr. Wizard said it was not perfected yet. We have to be near him in order it to get a scent." There was something in Chris' voice that would send chills down your spine. "Even if we do find him, we have to wait 'til nightfall. We don't want to attract much attention."

"Find a person we've met only once in this little town and be discreet about it? That's going to be a piece of cake!"

"Shut up! You've seen the news reports. Most of his patrols are done around this area. It's pretty large but we'll get to him eventually. And when we do…"

A gleam came out of Blaze's eye. "We'll give him a reason to hide his face." Maniacal laughter filled the air.

"Blaze."

"Yeah?"

"Shut up, you sound pathetic."

It was high noon when the two teenagers passed in front of an okonomiyaki cart and Hotaru decided she was hungry. She wanted to treat Carlos to one, but he politely refused. Once she was done and they resumed walking, Hotaru renewed conversation.

"I believe it's your turn now."

"My turn?"

"So far we've only talked about me. I would like to know about you, Navarro-sempai. What happened to you that makes you act in such manner?" She gave Carlos a determined stare. She wasn't going to let him weasel out of this one. He wasn't planning to anyway, not much.

"Mine isn't a happy story either. If you think you've had enough we can talk about this another time."

"Sempai."

"Okay, okay." He sighed in defeat. "My father was, ahem, is some sort of free-lance accountant or something. No one has ever given him a steady job because, according to them, no one can afford him. As a result, he's worked for different companies all over Mexico, the U.S. and here, Japan. Constantly moving and dragging his family along."

"Wow!" Hotaru was truly amazed. "You've spent your entire life travelling all over your country and abroad? That's a way of living I could get used to." She had done a bit of travelling herself, accompanying Haruka and Michiru to their races or concerts whenever there was a chance. But two years worth of travel versus fifteen? She had reasons to feel jealous.

"I didn't travel all around, I was dragged all around," Carlos corrected harshly, "Every few months or weeks we would pack up our things and move to a new city, a new school, and meet new strangers."

"Didn't you make any friends?" Hotaru asked hopefully.

"I actually did, believe it or not. They were more like acquaintances than friends. And every time I thought I really had something. Surprise, it's moving day!" He laughed sarcastically for a while. "Somewhere along the way I just gave up. I decided: if I'm going to lose every friend I make, then I might as well have none. That's why I keep people away, why I want them to fear me." A moment of silence passed among them.

"But why act so violently? Why do you want people to be scared of you?"

"Ego," Carlos answered with a smirk, "There is very little difference between fear and respect. And I like having a feeling of superiority. Wouldn't you?" His smirk vanished when he saw the look in those amethyst eyes.

"It's all lies and you know it," she said bluntly, "The truth is: you want people to fear you so you can hide your own." She paused. "You're afraid of being hurt by a new loss." Carlos grumbled and looked away. He wasn't going to admit it, but she was right. Everything she said was true. Hotaru kept speaking. "I once gave up too Navarro-sempai. I had surrendered to despair and solitude." A joyful smile came to her lips. "That's when I met her, my first and best of all friends."

"Who was she?"

"Chibi-Usa, she's one of the kindest persons you could ever meet. She wasn't disgusted neither by my illness nor, like you, frightened by my ability. She didn't care if I was weird or what everybody said about me. She just wanted to be my friend, and by doing so she gave me new hope." She looked up to the sky. "I couldn't figure it out back then. Why would such a healthy and kawaii girl want to be my friend?" She giggled. "It's been years and I still don't understand."

"I do."

"Nani?"

"Nothing." Carlos acted nonchalant for a while. "So, will I get to meet this Chibi-Usa girl?"

"I'm afraid not," Hotaru responded, "She moved away two years ago, I haven't seen her since."

"Oh my, what a surprise," he said ironically. Hotaru elbowed him.

"Hush, you. I felt sad when Chibi-Usa left, but I got over it quickly. I realized that she left me something no one can take away."

"May I know what that is?"

Hotaru placed her hand over her heart. "A memory, that I once had a friend like her. It doesn't really matter if I never have any more friends, or if people start treating me like a leper again. I know that I once had a friend, something like that is well worth all the pain and all the loss." Carlos didn't know what to say. Cynic that he was, his most probable answer would've been: 'Nice speech. What greeting card did you get it from?' But he kept quiet. Her words were true, and she had said them with such emotion. "They say that our whole life passes before our eyes when it's about to end," Hotaru continued, "What would you like to see Navarro-sempai? One where you're alone and bitter? Or one where you can see a brief but meaningful friendship, in each corner of the world?" She held his hands among hers. "Please sempai, I know what solitude is, I know how much it hurts. No one deserves such pain." Her pleading gaze went through the glasses, straight into his undead soul. "Let me help you take the right choice. Let me be your friend."

Carlos kept silent, slowly, almost imperceptibly, a smile appeared in his face. He didn't know what he was smiling for. Laughing at a joke, mocking an adversary, tormenting his enemies or just having a good time. He smiled on all those occasions and knew the reasons why, then he realized it. Without warning, he opened his arms and embraced Hotaru. She was taken by surprise by this move, and blushed when he hugged her so tightly. He whispered into her ear.

"_Gracias_…"

Hotaru smiled and returned the embrace. Then she heard chuckles coming from Carlos. "What is it?"

"I just realized something, I still don't know your name."

Hotaru backed up a little and bowed. "Gomen, Navarro-sempai. Watashi wa Tomoe Hotaru desu."

"Please Hotaru, don't call me sempai. I'm Carlos, plain old Carlos."

"As you wish, Carlos-san." This time, she surprised him when she ran up to hug him again. He didn't mind, he didn't say a word, he just held her.

Up above, from the top of a lamppost, Kashaku watched the two. If you looked closely, really paying attention, you would see a smile bending his beak. _Bravo warrior, bravo_.

The remote Chris was carrying started beeping.

"Blaze get over here, we've got something!" Blaze ran up to his companion. The tracker was earthbound, rubbing its antennae against the ground.

"You found the Karasu? Where is he?"

Chris tapped a few buttons on the gizmo. "He's not here exactly. King Roach here seems to have found a trail. And if I'm reading this thing correctly, it's still fresh. All we have to do is follow it and we'll find that mime."

"So what are we waiting for? Let's go." The murdering pair heard voices coming from somewhere. They both turned and saw three teenagers approaching, two guys and a girl. They in turn, did not see the two criminals, until one of the guys saw the green roach.

"Ara! What the devil is that thing?"

The girl saw the tracker drone and her eyes widened, she saw something else and screamed.

A shot was fired and the girl fell dead, with a bullet-hole on her forehead. Two more shots and her friends joined her.

"I see what you mean, Chris," Blaze observed, "**that**, was very discreet."

Chris sighed. "What a waste. She really was a babe." He snapped his fingers. "Let's get going before we attract more attention."

"Right." Blaze pointed a finger at the drone. It began to shake until it flipped over. It kicked around and finally stopped, smoke coming out of it.

"What the hell did you do that for?" Chris demanded.

"That thing was obviously going to turn some heads, I had to get rid of it. Besides, it's no big deal. That thing on your hand can also track the Karasu, right? We've got the trail, all we've got to do is follow it."

Chris shook his head. "If I believed it possible, I'd say your brain got even more damage from the doc's work. Let's go!"

"Michiru Kaioh." Carlos thought the name over. "Isn't she the famous violinist?"

"Hai. Have you ever heard her play?"

"Probably not, I'm not a fan of classical music," he replied, "But if she's got a 'Blues' album I'd be the first to hear it."

Hotaru pondered upon the concept, then she shook her head. "Ie, Michiru-mama isn't one to mix music with melancholy. She prefers a more cheerful tempo." Carlos nodded in agreement.

"Caw."

Both teens looked up. "Kashaku?" Hotaru asked.

"_Sí_." Carlos stretched out his arm so the bird could land. He was surprised when Kashaku flew past him and towards Hotaru's arms. She was surprised as well, but she began petting him almost immediately. Carlos raised an eyebrow at Kashaku. "Well, well, apparently somebody here likes you."

Kashaku looked back at his ward. "_Jealous warrior?_" Carlos just rolled his eyes.

"You know, it's a good thing you've decided to have a pet," Hotaru said, "It means that you haven't given up to loneliness completely." Both warrior and guardian gave Hotaru a surprised look. "What have your parents told you about keeping him?"

Carlos hesitated to answer, this was one topic he didn't see coming. "Well I, I don't think that I'll keep Kashaku." Hotaru's gaze requested the reason. "My sister, Carmela, thinks he's cute, but my mother thinks that crows are too treacherous, she's worried that he'll peck our eyes out. Besides, I don't think it's right if I took him with me. After all, he's a wild animal, his home is where he decides."

"I agree." Hotaru raised Kashaku to eye level. "You want to fly unbound, not be cooped up inside an apartment, ne Kashaku?"

"Caw."

Hotaru giggled. "It's so kawaii the way he responds."

"How come once the bird gets here I lose all of your attention?" Carlos protested. Hotaru tilted her head at him.

"And I think you're sweet for letting Kashaku keep his freedom." Hotaru reached up and gave Carlos a peck on the cheek. He raised his eyebrows in surprise, the young girl was also stunned by the move she made. She quickly changed the subject. "Hey, I think the 'Crown café' is nearby. Let's go there I'm sure you're hungry."

"Uh, no, no thanks." Carlos also felt a bit embarrassed from that tiny kiss. "I don't feel hungry yet."

"Not hungry?" Hotaru looked at her watch, "It's 5:30 and you haven't eaten anything all day! You must be starving!"

Carlos shook his head. "I had a big, late breakfast. I can wait until I get home." He didn't require food, but he could eat if he wanted to, and he really wanted to after a week of fasting.

"Come on, they have great desserts there."

"Really, I'd like to have lunch with you. It's just that I don't have much money."

"Then I'll treat you," Hotaru insisted.

Carlos rubbed his temple. This girl just couldn't take 'no' for an answer. "Okay, I'll let you buy me lunch. And since we're heading that way; how about stopping at the game center? My trigger finger is getting itchy."

Hotaru crooked an eyebrow. "You don't have any money for food, but you do have for games." Carlos shrugged sheepishly. "Oh, you men."

Crown game center:

Minako's head slammed onto the console when the words 'GAME OVER' appeared on the screen. Rei looked over the blonde's shoulder and shook her head.

"I still can't believe that after all these years, you and Usagi are still terrible at the 'Sailor V' game."

Minako sighed. "I guess it's just one of humanity's great mysteries." She got up. "I'm getting some more tokens. Be right back." When her line of vision came to the door, she saw one of her friends step inside. "Hey! That's Hotaru-chan, ne?" She narrowed her eyes. "And unless I'm mistaken, that's her new sempai. Ooh, the fun we're going to have, huh Rei-chan? Rei-chan?"

Rei stood still, her face depicted surprise and fear. "I feel him Mina-chan, Karasu is here."

The blonde looked around frantically. "Here? Where?" Rei held her by the chin and directed her sight.

"Look at what Hotaru has in her arms," the raven-haired priestess indicated. Minako looked and gasped, her young friend was carrying a crow.

"Coincidence, it must be a coincidence."

"I'm afraid not," Rei replied, "Hotaru's sempai is—"

"Konnichiwa, Rei-san, Mina-san," Hotaru greeted, "I don't believe you've met Carlos-san." She introduced her friends, "Carlos-san, these are my friends Aino Minako and Hino Rei."

"I'm pleased to meet you both," Carlos said as he shook their hands, "Hotaru here has told me a bit about you two."

"We've heard a thing or two about you as well, Carlos-kun," Minako responded, "Is it really true that Hotaru-chan saved you from dire peril?" Rei eyed her friend, from the attitude she displayed, she couldn't tell whether Minako was acting or still behaved a bit ditzy in real life.

"She did help me, that much is true."

"Always trying to help, that's Hotaru-chan all over." She turned her sight to the bird. "And who's that you've got in you hands?"

"Oh, this is Carlos-san's pet, Kashaku." Hotaru blinked, "Are you okay Mina-san? You look as if you've seen a ghost."

Minako glimpsed at Rei, she was giving her an 'I told you so' look. "You might say that. So, what brings you two here?"

"We were going to the café to have a bite to eat," Carlos responded, "I thought that I could try breaking my best record while where here."

Minako snapped her fingers. "You're 'CGN', ne?" Not waiting for a reply, Minako pulled the boy over to the closest shooting game. "Come on, I want to see the legend in action." Both Rei and Hotaru rolled their eyes, some things never change.

Hotaru looked around the place as Carlos put some tokens inside the machine. "It's odd. The first time I saw you here you had a crowd gathered. Now, no one is coming near us. How come?" Carlos threw her a glance.

"Do you really need me to give you the answer?"

Hotaru nodded. "Probably not." The boy started playing and the three girls watched. Granted, he handled that gun as if he made a living out of playing 'shoot-them-ups'. They wondered for a while how dangerous Carlos could be if he was ever to use a real weapon. Rei was amazed by the kid's ability, even though she wasn't really interested in seeing him play. She pulled Minako aside after a while. "Do you think Hotaru-chan knows who Carlos-san is?" she whispered.

"I don't think so. You know how it is, love blinds a person."

Rei huffed. "Minako, will you drop it? This is serious."

"I know it is," the blonde retorted, "Look, she's obviously fond of him, maybe that's enough so she can't see the connection."

"You're probably right. But anyway, the real question is: Does he know who we are?"

Minako gave Carlos a long, deep stare. "I haven't the foggiest, but we better keep on our toes. And not let Hotaru know of our suspicions just yet. She might not take it well." Rei nodded in agreement.

Carlos eventually finished the game with an almost perfect score. As promised, he accompanied Hotaru to the café. The two older girls joined them, Hotaru preferred it this way. If someone she knew were to see them alone as a couple, the rumors would never end. They ate and chatted; once they all had finished their meal, Rei restarted conversation.

"I'm curious, Carlos-san. What were you doing the night Hotaru-chan found you?"

"Well…" Carlos tried coming up with a plausible story. "Truth be told, I was simply looking for trouble. I had a disagreement with my parents and decided to go for a walk to let out some steam. Eventually I met with a street gang and they started picking on me. You can guess how I reacted." All three nodded and so did Kashaku. "To make a long story short, Hotaru found me, took me to the hospital, I left the next morning and got five to ten years without parole."

Minako whistled. "You've had just gotten to Tokyo and got grounded? Ouch."

"I didn't mind. After all, I'm not the type to socialize much."

"But that is going to change," Hotaru reminded him, "Mina-san is an expert in making new friends. With her help I'm sure you'll have no reason to go looking for trouble again."

"I might not have the time," Carlos replied, "Don't want to be a pessimist, but I tend to put experience over faith. I might not stay here for more than six months, eight tops." _Probably even less than that, if I hurry._

"Your dad's working at 'Dark Feather', ne?" Minako pointed out, "At a company that large, he's bound to have a lot to do for quite a while."

"Perhaps." He looked out the window, the sun had already set. "I better make my way home now, I'm still grounded and have a lot of chores to do." He rose from his seat and tapped his shoulder, "_Vámonos _Kashaku."

"Do you have any plans for tomorrow?" Hotaru asked.

"Not really, why?"

"Rei-san is a priestess at the Hikawa temple, one of her hobbies is fortune telling." Rei started a bit when she heard Hotaru's proposal. "We could go there tomorrow and confirm if your luck is really going to take a turn for the better."

Carlos gulped. "Umm, no offense _Señorita_ Hino, but I don't really believe in any sort of religion." _If this lady is the real deal, she might just find out who I am_.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Rei replied. _With his powers, he might just find out who we are during the reading. If he doesn't know already_. Carlos gave each her goodbye and left, letting Hotaru know that they would run into each other again. Once he was gone, Minako turned to her violet-eyed friend.

"Hotaru-chan, tell me the truth. How do you feel about Carlos-kun?" Minako's tone was unusually serious, Hotaru didn't notice it however and just blushed.

"I don't feel anything special, Mina-san. We're just friends, that's all I need to be for him."

"We know, Hotaru-chan, we've heard everything he told us," Rei said as she put her hand on the girl's shoulder, "But, just suppose there's something he hasn't told you, something that he wants to keep hidden, and eventually you found out about it. How would it make you feel?"

Hotaru's eyes widened and she slowly moved away from Rei. "I don't believe it. Has everyone decided to behave like Haruka-papa all of a sudden?"

"Ie." Rei caught Hotaru's hands. "We trust him, I mean, I really want to. It's just that…" She gave Minako a pleading gaze.

"What Rei-chan is trying to say," the blonde assisted, "We try to keep some things hidden from others so that we don't hurt them. But sometimes, when the truth comes out, we end up hurting them even more. How much it hurts depends on the feeling between the two." Minako stared at Hotaru straight in the eye. "Carlos-kun might've been treating you so badly before because he was trying to protect you from himself." She held the young girl's hands. "How you would feel if Carlos-kun unwillingly hurts you, depends on what you feel for him know."

Hotaru thought her answer over very carefully. Of course Carlos-san had secrets to keep, she had her own as well. But the sorts of secrets that Carlos kept were surely darker ones. The attitude he displayed while they were walking today told her so. Hotaru asked herself: _How would I feel if I found out?_

"What I feel for Carlos-san is concern Mina-san. He needs friends and I won't be a good one if I don't trust him."

Minako nodded, she leaned back on her seat and took a deep breath. _We just don't want you to get hurt Hotaru-chan. And neither does Carlos-kun…I hope._

Carlos hadn't walked five steps away from the café before he looked back.

"_What troubles you, Warrior?_"

"It's Hotaru," Carlos replied gloomily, "It won't really affect me much when it's time to leave her, I'll be dead after all. It's just that, I feel kind of bad about lying to her."

Kashaku blinked in surprise. "_Somebody like you feels remorse after a lie. I can't believe it._"

"Don't laugh bird. I mean, sure I've lied before, it's very useful when done right." He shook his head. "I don't know why it feels different doing it to Hotaru though."

__

I have one or two ideas. "_You could reveal your identity to her. Other warriors have had human allies, or confidants at least._"

"_Sí, _but Karasu no shi ain't exactly a friend of the people." He tapped his foot for a while. "You go ahead for our patrol, Kashaku. I'm heading back inside."

"_What are you planning to do?_" the guardian asked as he took off.

"Ask her out on a date."

Carlos caught up with the trio just in time, they had just left the café and where heading off in the opposite direction. "Hotaru, wait up."

The purple-haired girl turned. "Hai, what is it, Carlos-san?"

"I need to talk to you, it's very important." He turned to Rei and Minako. "Do you mind if we step away? It's a little private."

Rei eyed the teen warily. "Not at all, just don't take too long." Carlos nodded in response. The young pair walked away and when they stopped, Hotaru noticed that Carlos had taken them quite a distance away from the others.

"I kind of understand your desire for privacy, Carlos-san. But isn't putting half a block between us a bit too much?"

"It's necessary, I want to make sure they don't eavesdrop on us." _Especially that priestess_. He put his hands on Hotaru's shoulders and looked at her seriously. "I need to meet with you later Hotaru, at the Hikawa shrine."

"So you're going?" The girl's eyes lit up with expectation. "I'll let Rei know, she'll get everything ready for tomorrow."

"No, not tomorrow." Carlos voice sounded frighteningly serious. "Go there tonight. And make sure that no one follows you. Okay?"

Hotaru hesitated to answer. "Carlos-san, you're scaring me. What is—"

"Hush!" Carlos raised his hand to silence Hotaru, he'd felt something. It was familiar presence, yet it had changed in a way.

"_WARRIOR JUMP!_"

Hotaru never saw it coming, she just felt Carlos' arm wrap tightly around her. "Hey! What are you doooinng!?" Without a word he gave a giant leap, taking Hotaru in tow. She heard and felt the blast coming from behind them. When they landed, she looked back and saw smoke and blue embers a few feet from where they were just standing. Not only that, Carlos had nearly cleared the whole street in one bound! Carrying her weight even. "Kuso, what was that?" Her mouth gaped open when she remembered her friends, "Minako, Rei!"

"Don't worry, they're okay," Carlos assured her. He couldn't see them, but he could feel their souls. He looked around trying to find the source of their attack. He saw an out of control car heading straight for them! Carlos jumped again, vertically this time. They landed on the hood and he managed to keep them from falling as the vehicle spun and finally came to a halt. The undead teen checked on Hotaru, she was stunned but okay; he looked inside the car, the lady inside was physically unharmed, although frozen after seeing such acrobatics.

Hotaru tugged on her friend's arm. "Carlos-san, what the hell is going on!?" she demanded.

"Good question." He scanned the area. All traffic had stopped, there were a few crashes but no one was seriously hurt. Everyone was in a panic trying to get out of their cars and to a safe place. And standing in the middle of the street was the source of all the chaos. Carlos growled. "Chris."

Hotaru looked in the same direction. She recognized the two men in leather jackets; one had spiky black hair and metal bracelets, the other had long orange hair with a blue streak in the middle, black bracelets and an insanely wicked grin.

"So what's the deal, Chris? Is the Karasu here?" Blaze asked with eagerness.

"According to this thing, yes. Except it can't pinpoint him." The murderer dropped the device and pulled out two knives. "Guess we'll have to lure him out." He threw his weapons and hit the intended targets, two bystanders who were trying to escape.

Hotaru gasped in horror, Carlos growled with rage.

"Hey mime!" Chris called out, "We know you're around here somewhere. So either you come out, or we turn this place into a slaughterfest!"

"And we really mean it!" Blaze added as he tapped his bracelets.

Carlos had to do some quick thinking. He could take care of these guys easily, but with Hotaru here… He wanted to reveal his true identity, but not like this. Most importantly he couldn't let her get hurt. _Think, Carlos, think_. He pushed Hotaru down from the car and hid her behind it. "I'll draw their attention. You get away from here as fast as you can."

"Nani? Are you crazy? I can't let you face them alone!"

"Don't worry, I'll get away from those psychos," he winked, "I'm pretty good at getting away from people, remember?" Hotaru shook her head and allowed herself a tiny laugh. He gave her a quick kiss on the forehead. "Run." Carlos slid off the opposite side and sprinted. "Hey _pendejos_, catch me if you can!"

Chris reacted to the taunt. "A death-wisher, eh? Fine." He threw a knife at the kid, he easily dodged it. "Damn! Blaze, you get him."

Blaze cackled. "With pleasure." He raised his hands, the crackling sound of electricity was heard and an azure glow came from his fingers. A blue ball of fire erupted from his palms. Carlos was barely able to see the blast coming, he stopped right in the nick of time. The force of the explosion however threw him away several feet.

"_Ay güey!_ Where'd that come from?" He looked back at Blaze, blue flames danced around him and his eyes glowed the same color. _What happened to this guy?_ Then he noticed someone missing, Chris. He scanned the area, he couldn't feel his presence. _What the devil is going on here? _Frantically, he looked back to where he had left Hotaru, to his dismay, she was still there. _For heavens sake Hotaru, forget about me and run! _"Gaack!"

Chris took advantage of Carlos' momentary distraction to walk up and grab him by the neck. "So you think you're very brave? I think you need a few lessons in discretion, little boy."

Hoisted one foot in the air, Carlos could only think of one thing: _So this is what it's like on this end_.

Hotaru's common sense told her to do what Carlos had planned and get away. But her instincts as a protector told her to stay. When she saw the redhead throw that fireball, she froze. For a moment she thought it had killed Carlos, but was relieved when she saw him get up. That relief faded when the other villain picked him up by the neck. _By the silence, I have to do something! _Against her good judgement, she came out of hiding and yelled, "Let go of him!"

Chris turned his attention to Hotaru. Carlos deduced his intentions. "Don't even think about hurting her."

Chris chuckled. "Oh I won't even touch her. Blaze, fry the little bitch! But not too much, I might want to have fun later."

Blaze didn't need to hear that twice. He readied his third blast of the night aiming straight at the purple haired girl. Hotaru knew that she could easily block the attack using her Silence wall, but doing so would reveal her identity to Carlos and the enemy. She gritted her teeth. _So be it then_.

"Burning Mandala!"

Blaze turned around and saw a series of fire rings heading straight for him! He didn't have time to react, they all crashed straight into his chest. Chris found the source of the attack. Two of the inner senshi landed between them and the girl.

"My defender is the planet of war. I am the senshi of fire, Sailor Mars!"

"Accompanying her is the senshi of love and beauty, Sailor Venus!" Carlos breathed relief, for once he was glad to see the senshi. Chris just huffed and turned to his partner.

"Hey Blaze, you okay?"

Blaze was shaking and smoking, but to everyone's surprise, he was still standing. "Damn! The doc never said it would hurt this much!" He stood upright. "You know Chris? I think we attracted the wrong crowd." He turned back to the senshi. "No matter, I believe we can match you. Flame on!" His hands turned into living flame.

Chris rolled his eyes when he heard the comic book quote. He called out to the senshi, "We came here looking for Karasu no shi. So you sailor broads better butt out and mind your own business."

"Keeping jerks like you from killing innocents is our business!" Venus retorted in a rage.

Chris shrugged. "Well, we're going to be busy with the senshi it seems." He looked at Carlos. "So you will have to say good night." He took his free hand and plunged it into Carlos' chest.

"YEARGH!"

"IE!" Hotaru gasped in horror. Without effort, Chris threw Carlos several feet away behind a car-wreck. In his hand, was the still-beating heart of her friend.

Venus ground her teeth in rage. She recognized those two from the theater. Despite the fact that awful experience was taken from her mind, she still wanted to get even. And what she just saw fanned her anger even more. "Mars, get Hotaru-chan out of here. I've got a gut to pick on those two."

Mars didn't dare correct the quote, she reached for Hotaru and tried to get her far away from there, she didn't even budge. Hotaru was completely paralyzed from shock. "Hotaru-chan, come on. We have to get you to safety."

Chris and Blaze approached the senshi slowly. The former was juggling Carlos' heart. "Same as always I presume. You want the blonde, right?"

"Damn right!"

"That's okay. It means I take brunette, both."

"I hate you."

Mars knew she couldn't escape now. She had to wait for a new opening. She took her combat stance next to Venus. She was worried however, she could definitely feel the evil insanity coming from the redhead, but the other one was completely empty. She didn't want to think what that meant.

"Caw!"

Everyone looked up and saw Kashaku, even Hotaru snapped back into consciousness when she heard the call. Chris gave a satisfied smile "Well, the guest of honor has finally arrived. Come on mime, where are you hiding?"

"A moment ago you had me right in your hands."

No one could believe they had heard that voice. Everyone turned to the spot where there was supposed to be a body. Hotaru's voice came out as barely a whisper. "C-Carlos-san?"

Standing there with air undone, empty eyes and a hole in his chest stood Carlos. His eyes emanated a horror undefined. "Careful what you wish for, Chris, it might just kill you."


	9. Death and Rebirth 9

Hotaru Tomoe. A freak accident and incomprehension from her peers ripped away her humanity. Fate was kind to her, giving her a new life, one with true friends and a real family. Grateful, Hotaru took all this and used it to forge herself a better destiny. She met a young boy named Carlos, one that she felt needed a true friend. When she learned that she was capable of being cruel herself, she made up her mind to become such a friend.

Carlos Navarro. Insanity and murder took away his family and life. Fate let him return so he could avenge his loved ones and correct his mistakes. Stupidly, he kept committing those same mistakes. He met a violet-eyed girl named Hotaru, a girl that made him feel almost human. Despite her attentions, he kept her away. When he realized how much he really needed her, he felt a new light of hope shine upon him.

Now, old enemies reappeared to threaten their lives. Trying to protect Hotaru, Carlos was left heart-broken, literally.

****

Death and Rebirth

****

Chapter nine:

Three senshi and two homicidal maniacs were witnessing something that could not be. Standing before them was a person that could not, should not be alive. And Chris was holding the proof of it.

No one could move, except for Chris. There was an eerie calmness in him. He just stared at Carlos while toying with his heart. "One way or another, you always end up surprising people, huh?"

Carlos chuckled. "It's a gift."

Chris eyed the organ. "Guess you'll want this back." He threw it back at its owner.

Carlos caught his heart with one hand, gave it a quick check and put it back in place, as if he did that sort of thing every day. Then he took his bloody fingers and touched his eyes. Tears came out, bloody tears. Crimson changed to black and flesh turned white. He glanced at Hotaru.

As a senshi, Hotaru had witnessed plenty of horrors. But seeing so many in a lapse of a few minutes had become too much, she fainted.

Karasu's head dropped, a murmur came from his lips. "So be it", his voice gained volume, "Carlos Navarro is dead", until it became a roar, "YO SOY KARASU NO SHI!"

Chris went into a fighting stance, Blaze did the same, flames covering his fists. "Hey Chris, let me at the mime. We'll have BBQ wings for dinner."

Chris extended an arm. "Be my guest."

Blaze ran to Karasu with his fist up front in a ridiculous display, "Heeee—" The undead warrior grabbed him by the wrist when he got close. "Wha?" For that show, Blaze received three jabs in the face, followed by an uppercut.

"Stick to the fireballs Blaze, 'cause you'll never make a good fighter." He turned around, the senshi were still there. "What are you waiting for? Get Hotaru out of here!"

Venus snapped out of it. "Right. Mars get the girl to a safe place. I'll help Karasu."

"But—"

"Go!"

Mars nodded, someone needed to get Hotaru to a place where she could transform. On second thought, she seemed in no condition for a fight. She picked up the girl and went off.

Karasu in the meantime had begun fighting Chris. The latter had gotten a bit more speed and strength since their last encounter. So far he had landed five blows on the mime without being touched. Finally, the warrior was able to catch his fist.

"Help me with my memory Chris," he requested innocently, "I do believe I left you with only five fingernails when last we met."

Chris snickered. "I thought you'd never ask." He grabbed the sleeves of his jacket and ripped them off. Karasu displayed no emotion, but the revelation was quite shocking. There was no flesh on Chris' arms, only wire and metal. "A new hand, plus extras. Part of a great medical plan."

Karasu gave his enemy a sadistic leer. "Now I see why I didn't feel your presence. You've become nothing more than a soulless machine."

Chris narrowed his eyes. "I don't care what I lose." He charged as he cried: "As long as I can kill!"

Meanwhile, Blaze had recovered from the previous attack. "I have a headache this big, and it's screaming for Excedrin," he mumbled. He saw the fight between Karasu and Chris, _hey déjà vu_. Only one thing different, this time Blaze could do something. He raised his hands and began to gather energy.

"Crescent beam!"

The blast bore into Blaze's side. He turned to his attacker. "Guess I got my own fight. And a blonde, it's déjà vu all over tonight." He shot a blast at Venus, she deflected it with a blast of her own.

"You may have power now, but it's nothing against experience! Crescent beam!" She placed more energy into that blast, hoping to render him unconscious. Instead, Blaze received the attack front first.

"You want experience? Listen to this." His hands began to glow. "I can absorb power, and throw it back!" He shot two larger fireballs at the senshi of love. She was barely able to avoid them.

Venus breathed heavily after that scare and then she laughed. "Arigato baka, you just gave me a very good fighting tip." She jump-kicked Blaze.

"Oh crap."

In the meantime, cyborg and undead were busy beating the hell out of each other. Chris threw a kick and Karasu jumped over it. He somersaulted over the cyborg, landed behind him and kicked him from behind. "I have to admit it, Chris, you have become a lot stronger and faster than before."

Chris laughed. "Does that fact scare you freak?"

Karasu snorted. "Not at all, all I have to do is turn up the heat a little." he rushed towards Chris. The thug had no time to react, he received countless punches on the stomach, chest, face, and was thrown away with a roundhouse kick.

Chris spit out a tooth. "How? When did you get so fast?"

"I didn't spend all this time sitting pretty on my nest. I have been working out, and I did it all by myself," Karasu mocked as he approached Chris and picked him up, "without going to Radio shack."

Chris sneered. "True, but you can't do this." He placed his hands on Karasu's shoulders. The warrior heard a faint crackling sound and felt his hair stand on end.

"Uh-oh—YEARGH!" He felt five thousand volts run through his body. When the surge ended he staggered and fell, his flesh smoking.

Chris wasted no time, he knew his opponent would recover soon. He unleashed a barrage of kicks on the fallen body, taunting him every now and then. "How does it feel big man? How does it FEEL?"

Back at the theater, Blaze had a hard time fighting Minako. Ironically, the powered up Blaze was having a harder time facing Venus now. He placed an energy field around his body so she would burn when touching him. Plus, he was using his fire fists. But like Venus said, experience is what matters.

"What's wrong, match? Didn't you want to play with a blonde?" Venus taunted.

Blaze spat a bit of blood, it sizzled when it hit the ground. "I did, but on second thought." He reached for her face. "I'll experiment with a bald girl!"

Venus quickly placed her foot on Blaze's stomach and grabbed his arms. The energy field hurt her a little but she could take it. She rolled back and threw Blaze away. _Too easy_, she thought.

Blaze got up and came up with a strategy, it worked before. When Venus approached him, he turned and made a 'T' sign. "Time out."

Venus growled when she heard that. Ignoring the pain, she pressed him down from the shoulders and threw her knee up like a cannon. Blaze's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. The force field flickered and disappeared. "How'd that feel, you little hentai creep?"

"Not so bad" –(thud).

Venus gave out a satisfied smile, she got her revenge. Now she had to help Karasu, she prayed that was the right decision.

Chris kept kicking and punching, giving no chance for Karasu to regenerate. Finally he was tired of this game. He rolled him over and stomped on his chest. "You can live without a heart, right? I wonder if it's the same goes for your brains." He raised his hands and made a double fist, ready to crush his opponent's skull.

"Venus love me chain!"

The golden chain wrapped around Chris' arm. Venus gave one powerful yank and the cyborg was pulled off his feet and was slammed to the ground, landing face first next to his partner. Venus ran up to Karasu "Are you okay?"

"_Sí_," he grunted as his bones got into place, "thanks for the save." They stiffened when they heard a metallic snap. Both turned to look at Chris, whose arm was raised and his hand had opened by the middle. Karasu heard a gun cock. He immediately grabbed Venus and covered her as best as he could. And not a moment too soon. Chris pulled the trigger and fired who knows how many shots. The sting of each bullet drove Karasu crazy, but he obtained his goal, the girl was safe.

Venus couldn't help but gulp. "Did that hurt?"

Karasu grunted. "Not as much as he's going to." He drew out his own gun and fired. He got Chris right on his chest, but the bullets bounced off with a metallic ping.

Chris chuckled. "They fixed up more than my arms, birdie. So what are you going to do now?"

Slowly, Karasu got up. He replied: "I just pull a bigger gun," and took out a .45. He fired again. This time, the shot bore a hole clean through. Chris shook for a while, but kept on his feet.

"Face it freak, you're fighting an equal."

"Well, from here, I notice that you can't fix yourself like I regenerate. So I must disagree." He snickered as Chris' smile disappeared. "_Adios, pendejo._"

"Tin man, out of the way!" Everyone looked.

"Ara!"

"_Ay güey!_"

"Blaze?"

Indeed it was Blaze, he was holding an energy orb the size of a bowling ball, and it was still growing! Chris paid heed to his friend's warning and moved a healthy distance away. Blaze was literally burning up with anger. "Okay crow and chick, prepare to fry!"

Venus held Karasu and pushed him forward. "Do your worst! We can take it, ne?" she boasted. She sweat-dropped when she heard Karasu gulp. "Ne?"

Karasu fired at the powered-up redhead like crazy. The bullets melted as soon as they neared Blaze, falling upon him like harmless raindrops. _Only one bullet left, better save it. _"Any ideas?" he asked Venus.

"Besides panicking? Ie."

With a war dry, Blaze unleashed the fireball. This was it!

"Silence wall!" The attack crashed into the barrier with a great display of light and noise, but doing no harm. Next thing you know Sailor Saturn arrives, spinning her Silence glaive and thirsty for blood.

Karasu sighed with relief. "_Gracias Señorita_." He saw Mars catch up. "The girl I was with, where is she?"

Saturn was the one to answer. "Don't worry about her, Car—err—Karasu, she's somewhere safe."

Karasu nodded and directed his attention to his enemies. Blaze was breathing heavily, the effort had been too much for him. And Chris seemed to have no idea of what to do. A cold grin formed on his lips. "As a token of gratitude, you can have Blaze and ask him whatever you want." Slowly, he stepped forward while drawing his katana out of its hiding place. "Robo-crap, is mine."

"Ie!" Mars held him back. "Don't kill them, it won't do you any good."

"Maybe so, but it will make me feel better."

"Indeed it will," Saturn added. The other two senshi were chilled by the coldness in her voice, and the anger her eyes now displayed.

Chris took a step back. "Blaze, can you manage another shot?"

"Sorry pal," he wheezed, "I can barely keep up on my feet."

Growling, Chris raised his arm to fire, it blew up when a bullet hit. When he opened his eyes, he saw that his limb now ended in a mess of twisted metal and wires.

Karasu was holding up his gun, the barrel smoking. "It's always the same," he mock-complained, "I get my hands on a new toy and it's busted in ten seconds."

Chris was outnumbered and out-powered. He hated to run but had no choice. He raised his left arm, his hand opened and a swarm of micro-drones flew out. The senshi and warrior were surrounded. Lucky for them, these drones have a life span of a few seconds. However, they had served their function, Chris and Blaze had escaped.

Karasu slammed his fist against the floor. "No! Every time I get close they always get away. Why?" Kashaku landed on his shoulder. "Any trace of them?"

Guardian shook his head. "_None. As you said, Chris has no soul to trace and Blaze has utterly drained his life force. It is too faint to follow_."

Venus shook her hands through her hair. "Damn it! I'll be washing off gnats for weeks." She caught a glimpse of the undead teen. "Are you feeling okay?"

Karasu's head hung with sorrow, he'd lost too much tonight: his targets, his identity, his humanity and he'd lost… Hotaru. The faint sound of footsteps caught his attention. He glanced over his shoulder and saw Sailor Saturn approach. "Are you sure that Hotaru is unharmed?" he asked with his back towards her.

Saturn bit her lip. "She umm, she seemed okay physically. I can tell that much."

Mars approached cautiously. "I could take you to her later on." She winked at Saturn. "Then you can make sure for yourself."

Karasu put his hand over his face, but then took it away shaking his head. _No, no more Carlos_. "No, I'm not going near her again. You make sure that she doesn't search for Carlos Navarro either." He sheathed his katana and began to walk away.

"Matte," Saturn called out, "Where are you going?"

"To where I should have been in the first place," he replied sadly, "solitude."

The trio watched as Karasu walked out of view.

Mars sighed. "Well, I guess he doesn't know who we are after all." She snorted. "We got all jittery over nothing."

"Hai," Venus replied, "Guess we should tell Tuxedo Kamen and the rest of the outers that their part of the job is done. Then maybe they can help us investigate the whirlpool gang."

"Don't say anything." Saturn's voice was barely over a whisper.

"Nani?"

"Don't say anything," she repeated, "You will not reveal Karasu's identity, not to Mamoru-san, not to anybody."

Venus blinked perplexed. "But, Saturn, you know Usagi-chan wants to help him, we all do." She placed her hand on the youngest senshi's shoulder. "If we plan to succeed, then everyone must know."

"You must keep it a secret!" Saturn pleaded, "You know how Haruka-papa's going to react when she finds out. She'll take that sword of hers and blast him without a second thought!" She noticed that her voice was cracking up and took a deep breath to calm down. "I said that I would help Carlos-san, I will not back out of my word just because of who or what he is." She looked at the other two senshi straight in the eye. "Promise me, you will let me decide when the time is right to tell the others. In the meantime, I will deal with Karasu my way."

Mars and Venus looked at each other for a while. "We don't think that is the best option," the former answered at last, "but we will let you choose it." She put her hand on Saturn's cheek. "But please, be careful."

"Hai," Saturn said. She pressed Mars' hand closer to her face. "Arigato."

"Let's take you home know," Venus said with a tender smile, "You've had a full day."

Elsewhere, Chris and Blaze were trying to stay out of sight as they made their way to one of the compound entrances.

"Quit stalling Blaze! We've got to find a manhole quickly, there are still too many people on the streets."

"I'm sure I'd go a lot faster if you'd agree to carry me," the redhead retorted, "You're just banged up, not tired." He rubbed his crotch. "That bimbo is going to pay me back with interests."

Chris said nothing, he had a lot to thing about. They didn't capture Karasu as they have been ordered, but they did manage to identify his alter-ego and he managed to get a pretty good view of the girl that was with him. With that little bit of information, Poe would surely be able to use his sources to track down the kid. Then maybe, he wouldn't be too angry to hear they failed.

"Chris look." Blaze had found an entrance to the sewers. They waited for the coast to clear and made a run for it. Once underground, Blaze took a deep breath. "Ah, home sweet home."

Ami was looking at the video of Hotaru for the umpteenth time. Luna, who was draped over her shoulder, also watched. The azure-haired girl wrote something into her computer and awaited results. The display read:

"Inconclusive." Ami leaned back on her seat. "I've used every resource available and I still haven't gotten past square one." She looked at the now dismantled machine she'd found in the hospital. "I hate to admit it, but whoever invented that thing is a genius."

"Hai." Luna hopped to the desk and faced Ami. "And you have no idea of what is ailing Hotaru-chan? If it is an ailment."

"None. I asked Rei-chan for help, but she can't do much without Hotaru-chan being there personally." She sighed and rested her head on her hand. "Shouldn't we let Setsuna-tachi know about this? I don't feel it's right to keep this a secret from them."

"Neither do I," the black cat replied, "but we all have too much work to do at the moment. Furthermore, I talked with Setsuna-san on another occasion, she's already worried about Hotaru-chan's behavior. This would only worry her more and she doesn't need that." She saw the black cloud displayed on the screen. "Ie, we have to wait until we learn more, then we'll tell them."

Ami stretched her arms. "OK then, I'll call Rei-chan, tell her to meet me tomorrow and we'll see what we can find out."

Luna jumped over to Ami's bed. She picked up an envelope and went back to her friend. "Doesn't the invitation Setsuna-san sent you say that the party is for tomorrow? You already said you would attend."

"I'll call back and say that I can't go after all, not with all this work to do." She started a bit when Luna jumped onto her lap.

"Ami-chan, I've always admired your dedication. But, forgive me for saying this, at times you act like a plain workaholic." There was sincere concern in the feline's voice. "Go to the party, relax, have fun. You don't want to end up buried in your work and neglect your friends, ne?"

Ami frowned slightly at the cat, but her gaze quickly softened as she petted her. "You're right, Luna-chan." She turned off the computer and went to the phone. "I'll call Usagi-chan instead, and we can go shopping tomorrow. She can help me pick out a new dress, she's got great taste when choosing."

Luna sweat-dropped. "Er, Ami-chan, I want you relaxed, but not that relaxed."

'Dark Feather' tower:

Allen Poe sat at his desk, staring into nothingness. There was a knock on the door. "Come."

The metal door slid open. Chris and Blaze stood in the threshold then stepped inside reluctantly. If Poe's office was dark during the day, you couldn't even imagine how it looked at night.

"I guess you already know, Allen." Chris was determined not to show any fear. "We didn't get the mime."

"So I've heard," his leader replied. Allen was smiling, this made the situation a lot more frightening. "Don't worry, I saw this coming. You guys succeeding in your very first field test was too much to hope for."

"We did manage to get something useful boss," Blaze said over-enthusiastically, "We saw the Karasu in civilian clothes. Plus, there was a girl with him, I'll bet she's his girlfriend."

"Blaze, I wanted you two to bring the Karasu here alive. I am not interested at all in his social 'unlife'. Now tell me, did he seem stronger?" He got an affirmative nod. "Good. Did he seem angry?" Another nod. "**That** is useful information, so I guess we did gain something from this little mishap." Chris and Blaze sighed with relief. "However," Poe added as his smile became even crueler, "you did fail on your mission." Slowly, he reached out and pressed a button on his desk.

Chris lurched, his entire body began to roar in pain as sparks flew out of his destroyed hand. Blaze fell to his knees, breathing rapidly and heavily. He felt as if his insides were melting. Both were in too much pain to even scream. Lucky for them, the torture only lasted a few seconds.

"This was only a light reprimand," Poe stated, "Fail me again and I'll devise more severe forms of punishment." He turned away from the pair. "Go meet with Hawkins and have him fix you up. I'll give you further orders later on." Chris and Blaze left quickly, not daring to reply.

Once he was alone, Poe shifted his attention to his computer and pressed a button. On the screen there appeared a pair of teenagers. He had no interest in the girl, just the boy. A few moments later, he became Karasu. "_Yo soy Karasu no shi!_" He watched the whole fight. Indeed, he moved with surprising speed. Allen had some idea of what this could mean, and how he could make sure. An idea came to his mind. _Now we pause, raise the volume, play the recording again and see what we find._

"_Carlos Navarro is dead._" Poe stopped the video.

"Well now, looks like it's time to dust off the archives."

Outers' Manor:

Hotaru stood just outside the door trying to keep her nerves in check. She was determined not to let her parents suspect there was something wrong. Minako offered her help, but she refused it politely, Hotaru wanted to do this all by herself. She wiped her eyes in case there were some fugitive tears and put on a cheerful smile. Not too cheerful, otherwise Michiru-mama would smell something fishy. She took a deep breath and went inside.

"Tadaima."

"Hime-chan?" Setsuna put down the book she was reading. "Where have you been all day? This morning you said you were just going to take a short walk."

"I was expecting it to be just a walk," Hotaru explained, "Only I wasn't expecting to find, or rather, be found by someone." She amused herself a while watching Setsuna's puzzled visage. "Carlos-san."

"You found Navarro-san?" Michiru asked as she bounded out of the kitchen. "Did everything go okay? Did you two talk it out?" Haruka followed closely, she didn't share Michiru's enthusiasm at all. In fact, she wanted to say a thing or two about Hotaru being cautious. But she kept quiet, she didn't want things to get more difficult between herself and her ocean princess.

"Everything started out as well as I could hope for," Hotaru said as she sat down, "Both of us apologized for what we said yesterday. It was a bit silly, since none of us could see the reasons the other had to do so. We spent the entire day strolling about and talking to each other. He told me the reason why he always acted so angry, how a lifetime of moving had left him with almost no friends and he decided to give up friendship entirely. I told him how I almost had given up myself before I met Chibi-Usa-chan." She looked up at the three women, giving them a warm grin. "And you guys." Everyone else smiled back at the teenager. Michiru and Haruka instinctively edged closer to each other.

"Don't leave us in suspense Hime-chan," the aqua-haired woman begged, "What happened afterwards?"

Hotaru chuckled at Michiru's impatience. "I tried convincing him not to become a hermit and offered to become her friend…" Her voice drifted away. She wrapped her arms around herself as she remembered how Carlos-san had responded. A soft smile came to her lips as she fully recalled the warmth shared between their embrace, and the sweetness with which he whispered his gratitude.

Haruka tapped her finger on her forearm during what seemed to her like an eternity of quiet. "Are you sure that you're planning your relationship with Navarro-san to be 'just friends'?" she finally said. The mild tease roused Hotaru from her reverie, she felt her face flush when she noticed the stares she was receiving and Haruka's malicious grin.

"Ahem! Yes well, we kept talking the rest of the day and had a bite to eat at the Crown café." Her face went serious suddenly. "But when we gave each other our good-byes, things ceased to go well."

Setsuna sat up. "Why? What happened?" she asked with eager concern.

"Chris and Blaze appeared, the pair that attacked Mina-san and Saori-san that night at the theater. They started killing and blasting everyone in sight, calling out for Karasu."

"Another drone attack?" Haruka inquired, in the middle of the city?"

"Ie, they didn't use drones this time, they alone were powerful enough." Hotaru linked her hands and rested her chin upon them, "Something or someone had changed them, made them more powerful. One of them now has the ability to emit energy blasts and the other had turned into a…" She shivered. "A cyborg."

"Ara." Setsuna's eyes widened. "Did you get the chance to transform into Sailor Saturn?"

"Hai, Carlos-san sent me off on one direction while he ran the other acting as a decoy." She paused. _Okay, here comes the hard part._ "I hated doing so, but I ran towards a hiding place and changed. By the time I returned to the battlefield, Mars and Venus had arrived and so did Karasu." Hotaru's eyebrows crooked. "I don't know how I failed to notice it before, but he seemed a bit faster and stronger than yesterday."

"Oh, that's good news," Haruka quipped, "Any idea how that happened?"

Hotaru hummed. "Well, he seemed to be angry, closer to furious. That must be where he got his strength, he is a warrior of vengeance you know." The other three nodded in agreement. The young girl stretched her neck. "Anyway, to make a long story short, we managed to defeat the thugs, but they escaped by blinding us with a swarm of gnats." She scratched her head when she remembered that part. "I then found Carlos-san behind a wrecked car, he was unconscious but unharmed. I tried to get him to let Minako-san take him home, but he declined. I didn't insist, after all, I know how though he really is." She shot Haruka a glance as she said that. The sand-blonde gave one back in agreement.

"I guess things ended up well enough," Michiru commented. She gave Hotaru a teasing gaze. "So, are you and Carlos-san meeting again?"

Hotaru nearly choked on her own words, hiding her feelings was a lot harder than she expected. "He, umm, he's not really fond of making plans. He just likes to take a chance and see if he'll run into your path. Maybe I'll get lucky and find him again tomorrow." _Please, please, please let me find him again._

"Have you forgotten, Hime-chan?" Setsuna asked, "That's when Gumpei-san's reunion is going to take place." Kobayashi Gumpei, Setsuna's colleague at the observatory. He had discovered a new comet a few days ago and decided to throw a party to celebrate. He invited Setsuna of course, and told her to bring along all of her friends. Setsuna noticed that her daughter was a bit troubled. "Hime-chan, if you're still feel uneasy after what happened at Seiryu, I understand."

"Ie, it's not that," Hotaru responded swiftly, "I said I would attend and will, besides, it won't do me any good to stay cooped up."

"I agree," Michiru added, "Well, I'm done at the kitchen, better go up and practice on my violin for tomorrow night."

Hotaru got up from her seat. "And I'm heading for the furo, I can still feel those bugs crawling over my skin." As she went upstairs, she passed beside a window and looked outside. The sky was cloudy and starless, despite that fact, she made a wish of hope for her newfound friend. _I'm your friend, Carlos-san, and I'll always be with you, no matter what_.

Whirlpool compound:

Allen walked down the aisle towards his chambers. He ran into someone along the way. "Paul, what are you doing here?"

"Oh, sorry, Sir. I was just heading to…umm…the library," the black man replied as he petted his pigeon nervously, "There's this book I've been reading and I haven't given myself the time to finish it."

Allen arched an eyebrow. "Well, Paul, it's going to take you longer than you think to conclude that novel, given the fact that both your room and the library are on the **other** side of the compound."

"Er, yes, I must still be a bit nervous about this whole Karasu business," he excused, "Now, if I may, Sir, I must go." Nervously he rushed off.

Allen just stood there for a while then shrugged and went on his way. Once he got to his room, he noticed a quaint aroma. Someone had plans for the evening. _My insatiable Kara, no matter how many trysts you may have, you always come to me at the end._

He headed for the file cabinet. As he flipped through the meticulously arranged folders and computer disks, he shook his head. "Tsk, tsk. Paul, you are an adept lock-pick, but you must still learn to leave things in their place." He pulled out a diskette and went to the computer. It didn't take long for him to find the desired information. _Well, Señor Navarro, I do believe you will have company tonight_.

"Oh, Allen." A seductively melodious voice called from the bathroom. Allen turned and saw Kara in her most revealing and tempting lingerie item, a nearly transparent black satin chemise with a neck opening that went all the way down to her navel. Behind her, the mocha-skinned seductress had lit some incense. The smoke coiled around her like serpents.

Allen raised an eyebrow. _Let's make that, tomorrow night_.

Tokyo Tower, sunset:

The janitor gave the floor one last sweep. "There, that should do it, until a new batch of tourist passes by tomorrow that is." He looked out the window; no matter how many times he contemplated it, it was a breathtaking sight. Something black and feathered flew upwards and caught his attention, a crow. He shuddered when he thought of what its presence could mean. "Nah, we wouldn't come here. There's no reason for him to do so."

Kashaku kept flying, up to the highest point of the tower. His ward was there, in the same position as he had been for the last twenty hours, perched like a bird of prey, his eyes closed as his hair and coat tossed around by the wind. The bird landed on Karasu's shoulder and faced the same direction as he did, westward. He observed patiently as the sun slowly sank. When the last beams of light vanished, the warrior opened his eyes and the guardian spoke:

"_Have you made your decision, Warrior?_" Karasu slowly nodded. "_Are you sure this is what you want to do?_"

"It's not whether I want to or not, it's what I **have** to do."

"_It doesn't have to be this way_," Kashaku insisted, "_Your secret was not revealed the way you expected, but we've both seen what an understanding being Hotaru is. I'm sure that if you searched her out—_"

"I'd only endanger more," Karasu claimed, "You were right, Kashaku, things have gotten too dangerous. Whoever turned Chris and Blaze into what they are now is not a foe to trifle with. The less involved Hotaru is with me the better."

"_Doing this will not guarantee her safety._"

"She'll be safer."

"_You might just lose her prematurely._"

"I was going to lose her anyway," Karasu insisted, "Quit it, Kashaku, whatever you say won't change my mind."

Kashaku sighed sadly and said nothing more. He knew the warrior was making a mistake, but he also knew he wasn't allowed to do something about it. He opened his wings. "_Let's get it over with then._"

Mamoru Chiba stepped out of the car and held the door open for Usagi and Ami. "It's too bad that Makoto-chan and Shigeru-san couldn't make it," he commented, "I know Kobayashi-sensei from college, and he really knows how to host a reunion."

"It's their first month anniversary since their betrothal," Usagi replied, "To them it's a more important celebration." The faint sound of violin music came to their ears. "It seems that Michiru-san and the others are already here."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Ami said at last, "Let's go in."

The trio came in, Gumpei rushed over to welcome them. "Ah, Chiba-san, I'm so glad you could make it. And that you managed to bring along your lovely wife." He turned to look at Ami. "You look beautiful also Mizuno-chan." The azure-haired girl blushed and tried to hide herself, Usagi elbowed her.

"See? I told you that dress would look good on you." She scanned the room, the decorations were simple but enhanced the joyous mood in the air. "Look at this place! You must have really been glad to have found that star, Kobayashi-sensei."

"It was a comet," Gumpei corrected, "It's not really a big deal, new comets are discovered by amateurs all the time. But this is the first one that I have found." He led them all to the refreshments. "In truth, I would've never managed it if it wasn't for the sizable contribution we received from 'Dark Feather'."

"I know what you mean," Ami said, "The aid they provided to the hospital not only helped the rebuilding, but we could also buy much necessary equipment for the E. R. and the children's wing"

"I heard he's making a contribution to rebuild Hotaru-chan's school," Usagi added, "Poe-san is a very generous human being. I wish there was a way we could all thank him." Everyone nodded in agreement.

"There might be a way to make that wish come true, Usagi-chan," Setsuna said as she approached her friends and colleague, "Konbanwa minna-san."

"Greetings to you too, Setsuna-san," Mamoru responded, "What do you mean by that statement?"

"I received a phone-call from Poe-san inviting me to the tenth anniversary of 'Dark Feather' enterprises. He clearly stated that I can bring along any number of people I desire. Would you like to attend?"

"Would we ever!" Usagi beamed. "Since I've laid eyes on that tower, I've been dying to know what the view is like from up there."

"Two reunions in less than a week," Ami observed as she tapped her chin, "Setsuna-san, your agenda seems to be getting fuller by the minute."

"By the second," the emerald-haired woman corrected, "I met Poe-san's girlfriend, Matthews Kara as I was leaving his office the other day. We chatted a bit, and somewhere along the line I mentioned my interests in becoming a designer." She shook her head. "I don't know if she had anything to do with it," (Yes she did), "but I've been getting calls from catalogues all over the world. You wouldn't believe how often my phone's been ringing recently."

"If you want my advice, you should take some of those calls into consideration," Mamoru quipped, "Maybe you'll end up with your own face on every fashion magazine cover."

"Oh no!" Setsuna put up her arms defensively, "Having two celebrities in the house is more than enough." Everyone laughed a while. The music stopped, Gumpei went over to his CD player and everyone else turned to look at Michiru. Haruka offered her hand to help her down from the improvised stage. The aqua musician accepted it politely, but coldly to the eyes of knowing people.

"I take it things are still touchy between those two," Usagi said glumly.

Setsuna nodded. "Hai, but it's starting to look better. Ever since Hime-chan told us how she spent yesterday with Carlos-san." Usagi leaned on her Mamo-chan. She knew it was a naïve wish, but she hoped that she would never be such trouble among them.

Ami glanced around the room, "Speaking of whom, where is Hotaru-chan?"

"Last I saw her she was standing over there by the window," Setsuna signaled.

"I'll go talk to her, see you guys later."

Hotaru stared out the open window, she was hoping that Carlos would show up all of a sudden, even in the guise of Karasu he would be a welcome sight. She shook her head. _You're hoping for too much, Hotaru_. Nevertheless, she kept vigil.

"Hey you're missing the party," Ami called out. Hotaru acknowledged her with a melancholic smile. "What's on your mind?"

"Nothing, I'm just, thinking."

"About Carlos-san? Rei-chan told me about you two this afternoon." Hotaru gulped but Ami didn't notice. "I think you're doing a great thing by helping him out of his sadness. Shigeru-san is right, Setsuna-san and the others have done a great job raising you."

"It's nothing really, I just…I just feel like helping him, I don't know why."

"I have developed a little theory about that." The young girl looked up curiously. "Remember back when we compared you to a shadow and Chibi-Usa becoming your ray of light?" Ami got a nod for a reply. "Well, I believe you feel you owe something to Chibi-Usa, to become the light for someone else who was lost in the dark. And you found such a person in Carlos-san."

Hotaru just blinked at what she had heard. "I never thought about it that way," she said finally, she grinned, "I really like that, Ami-san, arigato." The music started once more.

"I'm going back to the others," Ami said, "Will you come along?"

"I'll be with you in a minute," Hotaru responded. Ami left and she looked out the window once more. _You're missing all the fun Hotaru; you'll have more than enough time to find him later_. She took a deep breath and walked towards her friends.

"Caw!"

"Kashaku?" Hotaru turned quickly and leaned outside. She saw a crow perched on a bough, hopefully the guardian. It flew downwards to some bushes a distance away. She knew she had to follow. Hotaru looked back to make sure no one was watching, everyone was busy with something else. For a while there she wondered whether she possessed a sort of power that diverted attention from her. Unseen and unheard, she exited through the window.

Kashaku waited for Hotaru to approach him, when she got near enough, he flew a few feet farther. The purple-haired girl was getting annoyed.

"Will you quit teasing me already?" Hotaru complained, "You're starting to act a lot like Carlos-san."

"Caw!"

"Now I know you're Kashaku, no other crow would've replied." Hotaru finally came up to a dead end. She looked around and found no one. She turned her head back, she had come a long way from the house. Angry, she kicked a stone away and called out, "If you're trying to pull a fast one on me, Carlos-san, it isn't funny." She waited for a response. "Baka!" She headed back and bumped into what felt like a concrete wall. She looked up and saw a white face, black marks and cold black eyes. "Carlos-san?"

"Not Carlos," he replied, "Karasu." Swiftly he grabbed her by the neck and pinned her against the wall. Hotaru was barely able to speak, both from the shock and the choking.

"Ca-Carlos-san…why?"

"I won't hurt you, I will just leave you unconscious." His voice sounded empty. "When you wake up, all memory of Carlos Navarro will have been stolen from you." Hotaru gave him a pleading glance. She couldn't forget about him, she, she didn't want to lose him! "But know this," a hint of sadness was heard, "I am grateful for your friendship, no matter how brief it was." Hotaru's eyes rolled back and she fainted, Karasu laid her on the ground gently. He paused a while as he stared at her face. _There's still time you can still change your mind_. He shook his head violently. _No! I cannot, will not risk her!_ His hand hovered slowly to her face.

Something flew through the air and pierced Karasu's hand.

"YAAH!" Karasu fell back from the pain. The rose wouldn't do permanent damage, but it hurt a lot. He turned to find out who had thrown it and saw Uranus running towards him.

The senshi of the wind charged as fast as she could and delivered her fiercest kick to the undead warrior's face. She threw him several feet away from her daughter.

"I knew it. I knew you couldn't be trusted!"

"You have the wrong idea," Karasu replied in a calm but terrifying tone as he pulled the rose from his hand, "But I have no time to explain." He made a move towards Hotaru, Uranus took a fighting stance.

"You keep your filthy hands off her. You listening?" Karasu said nothing, in a blink of an eye he sprinted and came up an inch away from the outer senshi. He punched her three times in the stomach and slapped her out of the way. It took a while for her mind to register what had just happened. _Hime-chan wasn't kidding, he has gotten faster_.

The warrior set his attention back to Hotaru and saw Sailor Neptune kneeling beside her. "Are you going to interfere too? I know you're not as tough as _machete _girl over there."

Neptune got up and summoned her Aqua mirror. "I don't have Uranus' speed or stamina, but I'm not someone to underestimate." Karasu snickered, he began to move slowly, taunting Neptune. She didn't know whether to attack and perhaps miss, or defend an attack and probably be knocked out.

"Shabon spray!"

Karasu felt the sprinkle of a hundred bubbles on his face and was surrounded by the thickest mist he'd ever seen. He tried to pry through it, but all that he could see was a bluish-white blur. Then he felt the presence of two people, too late to react he was held by both arms. The mist cleared and he found out the identity of his captors: Sailor Pluto and Tuxedo Kamen. He tried getting away but they were determined not to let go.

"I didn't want it to come to this," Eternal Sailor Moon called as she approached and the power tier extended, "but it's clear that your behavior has become irrational and dangerous." She held her weapon forward.

Karasu gulped. "Whoa, wait a sec. What are you gonna do?"

"This will sting a little," Sailor Moon explained, "When it's over you won't be able to hurt Hotaru or anybody else."

"Hurt Hotaru?" Karasu's expression went blank. Slowly, it started depicting tremendous rage. "_Imbéciles!_" he roared, "Do you think I'd hurt the only person who has given me her kindness!?"

"Nani?" Pluto's eyes widened in realization. Her grip loosened for a second and Karasu flung her away. Using both hands, he took hold of Tuxedo Kamen and threw him towards Sailor Moon.

"Tuxedo Kamen—oomph!" Sailor Moon tried to catch her prince and ended up flattened.

"Are you alright?" the Earth prince asked concerned.

"Mamo-chan," she muttered, "you are joining me on this diet." She shifted her attention to Karasu and became frozen, every part of his body emanated pure anger.

"Very well, have it your way! But hear this: If they link Hotaru back to me, if they hurt her in any way, each and every one of you will pay. IN SPADES!" He leapt up and into a treetop, Uranus ran towards it.

"World shaking!" The amber colored blast left the tree bare, and as everyone expected, Karasu was gone."

"Uranus, you could've killed him!" Sailor Moon scolded.

"I lowered my power to a minimum," Uranus protested, "Besides, he was probably long gone already." She glanced towards Neptune and Hotaru. "How's Hime-chan?"

"She's fine," the senshi of the depths replied, "We should get out of here though."

"You do that," Pluto said as she powered down, "I'll go back and take care of loose ends." Setsuna left for the party. Everyone else went someplace else.

Hotaru groaned and rubbed her neck, she felt as if she had been asleep for hours. She blinked a while before opening her eyes fully. She was lying on a park bench, her friends surrounded her and her head was resting on Michiru's lap. Her guardian gave a deep breath of relief.

"Hime-chan, you have no idea how good it feels to see you wake up," Michiru said.

"Personally, Michiru-mama, I don't feel so hot—" Her eyes widened as she sat up with a start. "Carlos-san!" Ami rushed over to see what was wrong with her young friend, Hotaru calmed down quickly though. "Thank heavens, I can still remember him," she said relieved.

"Nani?" Ami couldn't figure out that statement. "Hotaru-chan, what are you talking about?"

"Carlos-san, he was, I mean, umm…" Hotaru slapped her hand over her face. "Nothing Ami-san. My mind must not be working right."

"At any rate," Haruka spoke, "What I want to know is why Karasu attacked you all of a sudden."

"He didn't attack me!" Hotaru protested, "He just wanted to help me!"

"Help you?" the sand-blonde piped up, "Hime-chan, I saw him trying to strangle you!"

"You saw him and attacked!" Hotaru retorted angrily, "I bet he tried to explain and you wouldn't let him!"

"That's enough from you two!" Usagi snapped, silencing both. "Hotaru-chan, I want you to take a deep breath, calm down and explain to us what happened. Why do you say Karasu was trying to help you?"

Hotaru took two deep breaths before speaking. "Karasu didn't mean to do me harm. It wasn't quite clear what he said, it was something like erasing my memories so that I could be safe." She looked down. _I don't want to forget you Carlos-san. I don't want to fear you like everyone else does, I want to—_

"Any idea what memory he was talking about?" Michiru asked. Hotaru snapped out of her thoughts and shook her head.

Usagi's head hung heavily with shame, she'd let rumors and fears dictate her actions. How was she going to be a queen if she let that happen? "We thought we were helping you, Hotaru-chan, and him. Instead, I believe we made things worse." Hotaru questioned her with a gaze. "You're lucky you didn't see it, after our encounter he became extremely furious. I looked into his eyes, it was frightening."

"By the silence." Hotaru got up. "I've got to find him!" Mamoru held her in place.

"And do what?" he asked, "Right now, he is completely at odds with the senshi, and Sailor Saturn isn't exactly his favorite." The violet-haired teen wanted to say something but kept quiet, she had spied Haruka from the corner of her eye. She was ready to cleave Karasu in half, if she knew that he was also Carlos… Mamoru continued speaking, "We better wait awhile before trying to find Karasu no shi. With any luck, the next time we run into him he'd have calmed down." All of the girls nodded.

Setsuna caught up with them after a while and was briefed on what was said.

"Maybe you witnessed something, Hime-chan," the crimson-eyed woman observed, "Do you have any idea what it might be?"

"Ie, Setsuna-mama, can't say I have," Hotaru answered naturally. She noticed a strange gleam in her 'mother's' eyes. Did she know?

"Well, it's no good to stand out here in the cold," Setsuna said, "Let's go back to the manor and review this more calmly, okay?" Everyone agreed and went to their respective vehicles.

"I really hate this, onee-chan," the blue-clad sprite complained, "Just watching and not do anything to help them."

"Me too, Deimos-chan," Phobos replied, "But we can't interfere, you know that. We already took a great risk by helping guardian Kashaku."

"Hai," Deimos sat down on the branch they were standing on, "But I can't help feeling guilty. If we had diverted Princess Uranus' attention away from Princess Saturn, maybe everything would have turned out better."

"Or worse," her scarlet twin replied, "None of them realizes it yet, but you and I know the feelings those two have for each other." She stifled a yawn. "Let's go home now, I really need to get some sleep."

"Still not accustomed to those patrols Rei-san has assigned for us?" Deimos mocked, "I could fly to Okinawa and back."

Phobos narrowed her eyes at her sister. "Care to put your money where your beak is?" She shifted to crow form and darted away.

"Matte, I wasn't ready!" Deimos called out as she changed and flew off.

"Make sure that you bring the best with you, Takata-san, remember you're not dealing with something ordinary." Allen hung up the phone turned on the intercom, Hawkins' face appeared on the screen. "Hawkins, how are Chris and Blaze doing?"

"_Chris is doing quite well, Mr. Poe, Sir. He's even choosing his new implements. Blaze however will need a little more rest that expected, he shouldn't have attempted such a powerful blast_."

"Good to know. Anyway, ready the silk-shots and prepare everything for our guest."

"_Yes, Mr. Poe. By the way, excuse me for asking but, if you are already sure where Karasu resides, why not capture him already and get this all over with?_"

"Hawkins, I'm surprised at you. Every detail must check out perfectly." He beat on his chest. "I've already waited a long time, I can be patient. Keep working." He cut off communication and went into a coughing fit, when he pulled his hand away from his mouth, he noticed a few drops of blood. Allen Poe could wait, but he was beginning to doubt whether his body could.


	10. Death and Rebirth 10

****

Death and Rebirth

Chapter ten:

Crow's nest:

Karasu punched holes through the walls, kicked columns down and stomped every bit of debris he could find. "How dare they think I would harm an innocent? Harm Hotaru! HOW DARE THEY!?" He picked up a piece of burnt furniture and threw it out the window.

Kashaku ruffled his feathers. "_Warrior, calm down, anger is not going to help. You must plan other ways to—_"

"Shut your beak, Kashaku! If I hear your voice in my head again, I'll turn you into a feather duster and eat your entrails raw!" The guardian need not hear that warning twice. He flew out into the night and towards safety.

Kashaku glided slowly over Tokyo, he felt a burden greater than carrying the soul of a war ravaged soldier. He had to do something about the warrior, but what? The best choices were either too dangerous or forbidden by the laws of Coronis. He knew the warrior wouldn't calm down by just destroying the nest. If he decided to go out on his patrol, the result would be a slaughter. And if he was who Kashaku suspected him to be, the results would be even more nefarious. Karasu needed to dispel his anger before it was to late and only one person could do it. The problem was: he didn't know where to find this person, but he did know who would. _Time to choose, Guardian Kashaku. Will you follow rules, or will you follow common sense?_ He made a decision and steered towards a new destination.

A convoy of black unmarked vans raced through the streets towards Shinagawa. Each carried a group of troopers and several heavy assault weapons.

"Hey, Akira-san, are you sure about this job?"

The hitman turned to his companion with an annoyed look on his face. "Ie, I'm not, but I know they're paying good money and I need it." He picked up a rifle and rubbed the barrel affectionately.

"But this is crazy, for many reasons: one, two dozen hitmen for one person; two, armed with state-of-the-art semiautomatic rifles; three, we're sent to a place where no one has lived for a year; and four, they sent us after…" He emphasized the last three words, "Karasu no shi."

"So we're going after a crazed kabuki vigilante," Akira stated matter-of-factly, "we've dealt with nut-jobs before."

"But not immortal ones."

Akira huffed. "Those stories about him being shot and not dying? They're just old wives' tales, he was probably wearing an armor or something." He put his hand on his companion's shoulder and spoke in a friendlier tone. "Those other guys he hunted down, and they were plain criminals. We've got heavy weaponry and the latest in protective gear. Trust me, we can lick this guy." Before another word was spoken between them, the man sitting on the passenger's seat addressed them.

"Attention! We are twenty minutes away from our destination. Is everyone ready?" He spoke both to the troopers behind and the ones on the other vans through the radio.

"Hai, Takata-sama!" everyone chorused.

"Since the days of the samurai, soldiers the like of us have not failed in their missions. Will we fail this one?"

"Ie, Takata-sama!"

Takata nodded in satisfaction as he set down the microphone. Before he met Poe, he was just another mercenary working for peanuts. Now, he practically had an entire army at his disposition and a five-figure salary. He recalled the reasons Poe had listed for him to be chosen for this particular mission. He possessed a strict sense of discipline, military knowledge and was a clever strategist. He puffed his chest with pride.

Poe had neglected to mention a fourth reason for choosing Takata and his team though: expendability.

Hikawa Shrine:

Phobos and Deimos slept soundly in their birdhouse. Rei had built it for them years ago as an art project when she was still in elementary. It wasn't much to look at, but it was comfortable inside and the twins felt proud to call it home. The sound of pecking roused them, they waited a moment and confirmed that something was on their roof.

"_Lady Phobos, Lady Deimos, awaken!_" They squeezed their heads through the opening and saw Kashaku from below. "_Follow me_." The twins did so and the three landed on the tori.

"Kindly explain your presence here, Guardian Kashaku," Phobos requested.

"And be quick about it, we dislike being awakened so rudely," Deimos concluded.

"_You know the reasons already,_" Kashaku responded in an annoyed tone, "_Don't deny it, I have felt your presence as you held vigil over us. It's the warrior, his anger is too much and I need help to placate it. I need the girl named Hotaru._"

"But why come to us?" Deimos asked, "I don't see any reason for it."

"_I haven't spent enough time with her to distinguish the pattern of her soul. Searching her out by myself would take too long, but if you—_"

"Stop, we've heard enough," Phobos interrupted, "You know that we are forbidden to give you aid."

"_But_—"

"As a matter of fact," the cerulean sprite added, "you shouldn't have come to us in the first place."

"_But_—"

"We wish you luck but that is all we can do," the twins chorused, "Goodnight, guardian Kashaku."

Kashaku flapped his wings furiously. "_CARLOS NAVARRO IS ONE OF THEM!_" The twins stared back at him speechless.

"Guardian Kashaku, that is a very serious statement," Phobos warned, "Are you absolutely sure?"

"_Not absolutely, but I have seen enough clues. The three of us know very well what happened to the last one._" He stared sternly at them both. "_I shall ask you the same question I made to myself: Are you going to take that chance?_"

"Ie!" Deimos answered, "Follow me, I'll take you to Hotaru-chan's home."

"Onee-chan!" Phobos was stunned by her sister's eagerness. "You know that we mustn't."

"I don't know about you Phobos-chan, but I can't allow it to happen again. Kashaku, with me." She shifted to her avian form and took off, the male crow following closely.

Phobos stood still for a while, unsure of what to do. She groaned and transformed as well. _I just hope the princess can vouch for us._

Karasu dragged his arm over the glass-covered floor. He lifted it and watched as the cuts disappeared. He pounded the floor, he needed to commit some extreme violence and he needed to now. And sure as hell he wasn't going to get the chance here. He went over to pick up his coat and halted, he felt someone, in fact several ones. He rushed to the window, he couldn't see anyone but he knew they were there.

"Twenty, maybe more," Karasu counted as he rubbed his hands, "Just what the doctor ordered."

Outers' Manor:

Usagi and Hotaru sat on the couch amidst conversation. It was mostly one way since Usagi did most of the talking.

"I had to insist so that Ami-chan would try different dresses. She just wanted to pick the first nice one she saw and go home. Setsuna-san and Michiru–san will agree with me on this one: you must search in over a thousand stores to find just one that looks perfect." She lowered her voice. "Although Mamo-chan and Haruka-kun will heartedly disagree." Usagi laughed, Hotaru just giggled sadly. The blonde sighed, cheering this girl up was starting to seem like a lost cause. She came closer and held her in a kind embrace. "You're thinking about Carlos-kun, ne? Hotaru-chan, don't worry, I'm sure that you're bound to run into him again tomorrow. Mamo-chan and I used to run into one another constantly."

Hotaru returned the embrace. "Arigato, Usagi-san." She pulled away. "It's not Carlos-san I'm thinking about." _Not him exactly._

The moon princess blinked. "Karasu no shi? I thought you believed him to be a prick."

"I do, I mean, I did." Hotaru sank into the couch. "I'm worried about what he may be doing right now. You remember what Setsuna-mama said the other day. What if we can't help him and he ends up in…you know." Usagi placed a hand on her friend's shoulder.

"Rei-chan told me once that hope is the last thing to fade away. Don't let your faith go weak, Hotaru-chan, everything will work out all right."

The teenager gave back a melancholic smile. "I don't want to be rude, but I'd like to be left alone now."

Usagi nodded, she got up and placed a motherly kiss on the girl's forehead. "Just call if you need me." She went to join Mamoru and the others.

Hotaru sunk into her seat. Usagi was right, she shouldn't lose hope so easily. After all, it was Haruka's job to be the fatalist. She chuckled at that thought. Still, she felt useless doing nothing. She wanted to be out there looking for him. _Fat chance of that, everyone here's going to make sure you stay put_. _I might as well get some sleep. Maybe thing will look better in the morning. _She stretched herself fully.

"_Miss Hotaru!_" Her eyes went wide open when she heard that voice inside her head. "_Don't say a word. Come on outside, quickly._"

Hotaru knew she had to answer that call. She glanced around, she was in plain view of everyone. If she tried to sneak out she was sure to be discovered. She could say that she was just going up to her room, but Setsuna-mama had been giving her suspicious stares every once in a while. There was no chance for her getting away…unless.

Hotaru took a deep breath and cleared her mind, she thought only of her objective. She got up and swiftly, but calmly, headed straight for the door. Mamoru didn't even notice as she strode past him.

She shut the door behind her quietly and ran to where she knew Kashaku had called her. Once she felt safely away from discovery, she hopped for her little victory. This newfound talent was going to prove useful, maybe even fun.

"_I am curious as for the reason of your celebration, Miss Hotaru, but there are urgent matters to attend._" Hotaru looked up and saw Kashaku and the twin sprites looking down on her. She flushed with embarrassment.

"Gomen." She quickly shifted to concern. "Wait a minute. Where is Karasu?"

"_In grave danger and you are his only hope for salvation,_" Kashaku responded, "_I will explain on the way, let us make haste._"

The twins jumped down and grew to full human size.

"Give us your hand, Hotaru-chan," Phobos requested, "We will travel faster through teleportation."

"Guardian Kashaku, on my shoulder," Deimos called looking up, "We need you to guide us to our destination." Unsure of the meaning of her words, he did as he was told.

"Ready?" the twins asked.

"In a minute." Hotaru closed her eyes and recast her 'silent shadow' over them. "(sigh) Let's go." The trio held hands and vanished.

Back at the manor, Setsuna glimpsed briefly at the couch and didn't even notice Hotaru's absence.

Shinagawa, outside a burnt down house:

Takata barked out orders through his headset, every one of his men was to be in position, on time. He looked at the two in front of him; he could only see their backs but his military training immediately revealed their uneasiness. He grumbled, the infamous Karasu was having a negative influence on his troops and he hated him for that. "Attention!"

"Yes sir!" they responded automatically.

"We are entering in two minutes. Is there anything you two would like to comment before that?" Both gulped.

"Ie, Takata-sama."

"Very well. On my mark we enter premises." There was an awkward pause. "Gather up in the main hall, get into position and do the 'Macarena'."

"Nani?" The pair turned around and saw the dangling corpse of their commander. He was dropped and another face, much more frightening than the way it had been described to them so often, was revealed.

"Although, I prefer traditional Latin-American dances myself."

"HE'S HERE!" one of them screamed into the headset, "EVERYONE—"

Karasu gave a roundhouse kick to the goon's head, his neck twisted 180. His partner tried to fire but was sliced diagonally from his shoulder to the waist by a black katana. Karasu picked up the headset. "Everyone," he completed in a steely voice, "is going to die."

Hotaru and the rest appeared out of thin air. Kashaku put full attention to the ruined house yonder.

"_The warrior has gone silent,_" he noticed, "_He has either calmed down or went out to hunt._" He shivered at that thought.

"Let us hope that's not the case," Hotaru said absently. She scanned the area around her, she felt the oddest feeling of déjà vu. "He's upstairs, ne?" Kashaku nodded. The small group entered and made their way upwards.

Year old ashes covered the floor and the signs of recent destruction could be seen all around. The house was almost as large as hers, but the palpable emptiness made it seem much larger.

Phobos inched closer to her sister. "A sinister place, it reeks of solitude and sadness. To think these feelings were summoned here by humans," the scarlet one commented.

"Indeed," the blue-clad twin replied, "Someone went a trifle overboard calling out our names." Her little joke didn't ease the tension.

Hotaru turned to the crow that was riding on her shoulder. "Kashaku-kun, is Karasu really here? I'm beginning to doubt."

"_He might or might not be,_" the guardian responded, "_He is cloaking his presence now, much like you did moments ago. His reasons are unknown to me though._"

"He might be hiding because he wants to be alone," was Deimos opinion, "We should scan the area, just in case." The trio of former messengers closed their eyes and opened them wide almost immediately.

"What's wrong?" Hotaru asked in alarm. A shriek of terror coming from outside answered her question.

"_Interlopers! We were so occupied thinking about the warrior that we dismissed them completely._" He paused a moment as realization sunk in. "_The warrior kept hidden in order to ambush them!_"

"Ie," Hotaru whispered. With the current state of emotion he was in, he would probably… She rushed down the stairs. Kashaku fell unceremoniously to the floor. "I have to help him!"

"_Hold! Bringing you to meet with the warrior was potentially dangerous when he was upset, in midst of battle it will be downright lethal!_" Hotaru came to a halt and spun to face the trio.

"Then I guess I'll have to become lethal myself." She grinned as her henshin rod appeared on her hand. "Saturn crisis power make up!" Kashaku's beak gaped open as he saw Sailor Saturn exit the house. Phobos knelt next to him.

"You mean you didn't figure it out from the fact we're Rei-chan's pet crows?"

"_Umm, like I said, I haven't spent much time with her or her friends._" He was lucky feathers don't blush.

The gunman fired frantically as the body of his comrade sailed towards him. The force of impact was so strong that he was crushed against the tree behind him, he died almost instantly. Karasu put his foot over another body and counted with his fingers.

"Let's see, I've dispatched three, seven, nine, or is it ten?" He shrugged. "Ah, who's counting? There's still more fun to have." The sound of rifles being cocked caught his attention. Five more troopers were aiming their weapons at him.

"Open fire!" the one leading ordered. Karasu quickly shed off his overcoat and tossed it to the ground. A shower of bullets fell upon his bare torso, but he did little more than flinch. The assault ended as quickly as it had begun when the attackers realized it was futile. Regeneration kicked in, erasing all damage, except for one large scar in the middle of his chest.

"I had to scavenge for hours to find this." The undead warrior pointed at the coat. "No way you're gonna fill it up with holes." He sidestepped and disappeared into some bushes. The troop held up their weapons, ready for almost anything. An eerie moment of silence was felt, followed by cruelly playful singing:

"One little, two little, three little demons…"

Two of the troopers fired to where the voice had seemed to emanate from. More silence.

"Four little, five little, six little demons…"

The remaining three fired in the opposite direction. One more moment of calm.

"Seven little, eight little, nine little demons…"

All five huddled into a circle, each facing outwards and fired at everything around them. They continued until their ammo was utterly exhausted. Breathing heavily, they looked and listened to their surroundings, expecting to see or hear Karasu coming out from anywhere. In this formation at least, they would not be surprised.

A playful whistle revealed Karasu's position, from **inside **the circle. Everyone spun and saw him smiling broadly with his arms crossed as he finished the song:

"You're all going to die." He jumped and made a split in mid-air, delivering a fatal kick to two of them simultaneously; a third had his jaw sunk into his skull by an uppercut; the two remaining tried to flee but were held back, one from his belt, the other from his spinal cord as it was ripped out.

"Going somewhere?" Karasu teased as he pressed his finger on the trooper's crown and walked over to face him. The trooper's eyes widened in disbelief as his brain processed the massacre his eyes had witnessed. The unbelief grew as he took a good look at the Karasu, he was little more than a child, but his actions, words and especially his eyes declared to the four winds that he possessed a heart of pure cruelty. He felt the undead teen's fingers press down on his skull.

"Please, I beg you, I have a family."

Karasu's voice became guttural and terrifying. "So did I. They didn't care, so I won't either." The condemned man saw no mercy in those black eyes. He let out all the air in his lungs in an indescribable shriek.

Without effort, Karasu crushed the man's skull like an overripe fruit. He shook the gore off his hand and sensed around, there was only one small group left. He chuckled evilly, once he had taken care of them, he would be able to go out and paint the town red. His bloodlust was nowhere near satisfied.

The six remaining troopers all fled to the parked vans.

"Forget the money! Nothing is worth facing that monster!" Nobody replied but everyone agreed. The group stepped out into a clearing where the vehicles where parked, they headed for the closest one and stopped just a couple of yards away. Sitting cross-legged on top of it was Karasu, dangling one of their rifles by the strap. He gave them a mocking sob of sympathy.

"Oh no, and you were so near too." Everyone scattered except for one who was paralyzed in fear. Karasu jumped down and shot him. The trooper gasped as he felt that scorching sensation in his chest. The warrior walked towards him slowly, pulling the trigger every few steps. The hit man shook violently as each new batch of bullets hit him. The armor he wore was strong enough to stop only a little damage from a weapon of such magnitude. This fact was keeping him alive, and extending his agony.

There was a pause and the hitman fell forward, only to be held up by a gun-barrel against his chin. Karasu sneered and pulled the trigger one last time, it clicked empty.

"_Chin!_" He complained as he looked at the gun. "Just my luck for you to go empty at the moment of a great ending." He dropped the corpse and weapon on the ground disgustedly and searched for the rest. They were all inside one of the vans, trying desperately to get the motor running. Karasu looked down and noted that the man he'd just killed wore hand held explosives around his belt. He picked one up and pulled the pin.

"Five, four, three…" He rolled the bomb towards the van. Just as it was going to go under the vehicle, it bumped into something. It exploded immediately after, but after the blast cleared the van and its occupants were unharmed. Karasu stood there dumbfounded, until he felt someone new approach. He turned to see who it was. "YOU!" He charged towards the lone senshi with a roar of rage.

"Silence wall!" Karasu crashed into the barrier, he tried to go around but crashed again. It didn't take that long for him to realize he was imprisoned.

The van's engine roared to life and hurried away. In less than a second, the two were alone. Saturn approached Karasu, who was trying to tackle his way out. He tired out after a while and looked straight into her icy amethyst eyes.

Saturn took a deep breath. "He who fights monsters might take care, lest he thereby become a monster; Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche."

Karasu snorted. "So you think I'm a monster? Well surprise, lady, you're right. That's exactly what I am."

"Ie, you are not a beast, you don't have to be one!" Saturn retorted. "You still have a lot to cherish and I won't let you throw it away!" She approached the barrier. "Carlos—"

"Karasu no shi!" he snapped and pounded the barrier, "Carlos Navarro died a year ago!" He drove a fist towards the barrier, Saturn jumped back.

"Somewhere inside of you, Carlos-san is still alive. Look within. Can't you see it?" She breathed heavily while saying this, his blow had weakened the wall and she had to invest more power to hold it up.

"The only thing I see is: you damn scouts have been interfering with me too often. AND I HAVE HAD IT!" He drew out his katana and smashed it into the wall. It shattered away into nothing! Saturn was almost too shocked to raise her glaive in time to block Karasu's attack. The battle was on.

Kashaku, Phobos and Deimos watched the battle among the two. It was not an easy task.

"We can't just stay here. We've got to go there and help Princess Saturn!" Deimos told the other two.

"_Interfering any more than we already have would mean tempting Princess Coronis' wrath_," Kashaku warned back, "_But you are right, Lady Deimos, we **must** stop those two_."

"Ie, we stay here." Kashaku and Deimos returned surprised looks to Phobos, her eyes shone redder with determination. "We will stay and observe, as our role demands it." The other two were about to protest but Phobos raised her hand. "We are not fighters, if we go down there Karasu will slay us without effort. Even Princess Saturn is a threat to us at this moment." She looked down. "I believe there will be a better outcome if we leave those two alone."

Deimos looked down as well. "Do you really think so, onee-chan?"

"I hope so."

"We'll keep you posted, Michiru-san. Don't worry, we'll find her." Sailor Venus closed the link on her communicator. "So you just turned around and Hotaru-chan was gone? How did she manage that?"

"I don't know," Sailor Pluto answered. The minute they'd noticed Hotaru was gone, Usagi called out all of the senshi and they went out in pairs looking for the young girl. Haruka, Michiru and Rei had stayed behind in case she came back. "Why didn't I see this coming? She's a teenager for crying out loud! I know they do crazy things like these."

"Hai, I remember what that was like. We see a boy we like and do anything to be near him. It doesn't matter whether he's older, foreign or undead."

"Nani?" Pluto's eyes widened and Venus covered her mouth as she realized her faux pas. "You know that Carlos-san is Karasu no shi?"

The blonde senshi sighed in resignation. "Hai, Rei-chan and I found out the other night. Gomen ne, Pluto, we were going to tell you but Hotaru-chan swore us to secrecy. We should have known you outers would figure it out."

"Actually, I only found out a few hours ago by something Karasu said. I haven't told the others yet, and I think that's the best choice. I have a pretty good idea how Haruka would react if she knew this." Venus nodded in agreement. "I just hope she's alright. In the state Karasu must be in now, she could be walking into serious trouble."

"Hey, relax. I've seen the effect Hotaru-chan has on Carlos-kun. Bet you they're sitting together having the time of their lives."

Saturn kept up a defensive position, she wanted Carlos to snap out of his rage, and counterattacking wouldn't help. This was becoming harder for her as she felt her own rage building up. She had to get Karasu to his senses before she lost her own. She pushed forward and put her face inches away from her opponent's.

"Karasu, listen, I just want to talk!"

"Very well," he countered, "you will talk." He drew one arm back and punched Saturn in the stomach with all of his might. The silent senshi's eyes widened as she felt the acrid taste of blood and bile rush to her mouth. Before she realized it, she was landing several feet back from where she was standing. She got to her feet as fast as she could, magnifying the pain she felt. Saturn looked up and saw Karasu in a strange position. His legs were positioned in a wide stance and his arms held forward. His hands open with the palms pointing outwards, thumbs joined and the rest of his fingers pointing away. Nearly the same way one positions his hands to create the shadow figure of a bird. This however, was no game.

"EBON SHEARS!" Black and curved blades were fired from his hands, heading straight for Saturn! She leapt out of the way in the nick of time. One of the vans was behind her, within seconds, it became shredded metal. Saturn was too busy to be impressed however. She rolled onto her knees and raised her Silence glaive.

"Silence glaive surprise!" One second of quiet and an explosion surrounded Karasu. Once the dust cleared, he was gone. "Ie!" she dropped her glaive and ran a few steps towards the crater. She had let her anger cloud her. She let instinct take control over reason and had destroyed the one she wanted to save. She let out a sad sigh. _At least now—Wait a minute, he's just—!_

Saturn turned around just in time to see the sole of a boot slam into her face. It didn't stop there. Karasu kept on kicking and punching her without mercy, drawing her farther away from her weapon. Finally, he hoisted her over his head by the ribbon on her fuku and threw her away.

Saturn rolled on the ground and ended up on her back. She thought fast. Without her weapon she was nearly useless in battle, all she had was the speed and agility to avoid attacks and Karasu was much faster than her. She needed time for a plan and she knew how to get it.

Karasu walked slowly toward the fallen girl, not even trying to hide his chuckles. He paused a bit when he saw her raise a hand. "Another attack? Bring it on, _muchacha._" Then he saw a silvery mist form around him and tiny orbs appear out of nowhere and swirl about. He was standing right in the middle of Saturn's Big bang simulation. The beauty of what surrounded him was breathtaking, had his fury not been blinding him, he would've been fascinated.

"Nice trick," he said facing a half-raised Saturn, "but it does nothing to hide you."

"Really?" She gave a smug smile. "Ever seen a star nova?" A tiny fireball came over to meet Karasu. It exploded with a blinding white flash.

"AARGH!" Since it was an illusion, it did no real damage, but the sudden brightness effectively blinded the warrior. "_Perra! _Where are you hiding?" He scanned the area to sense her soul but found nothing. _Damn! She can cloak herself as well!_

"Karasu?" A wary voice came out from somewhere. "Please, you said you would let me talk."

"And you will. Ebon shears!"

"YEARGH!"

Karasu chuckled, that scream indicated that he had estimated Saturn's position accurately. His sight returned and he saw her holding her hands against her side. A large red blotch could be seen under them. He rushed forward and gave her a right hook followed by a left. He clasped his hand around her neck and held her up. "You will give your companions a message. They will not interfere with me ever again." his eyes narrowed. "And in case you haven't figured it out yet, you will deliver it in a posthumous fashion."

Saturn looked into Karasu's eyes and wept for what she saw. It was not the anger what caused her tears, it was something else. In his eyes she saw insanity, madness in its purest form. Carlos Navarro was truly gone, and all she could do now was weep for his loss. Karasu clenched his hand into a fist and Saturn closed her eyes waiting for the battering.

"_He **is **one of them!_" Kashaku's tone of voice was a weird mixture of surprise and 'Why me?'.

Deimos was starting to get agitated. "Princess Saturn won't be able to take much more punishment. We must do something!"

"_Indeed, but the three of us must agree this time so that we may act._" He turned to the scarlet sprite. "_It is your call, Lady Phobos._"

Phobos trembled with uncertainty. "We wait," she said at last, "Don't ask me to explain but I know they must resolve this alone." Her companions looked at her quietly for a while, and then turned their attention back to the fight.

Saturn received her punishment without so much as a protest. A senshi fought to the end, no matter what assailed her, she would fight, a senshi would keep pushing onward. Fight for justice, friendship and love. As long as there was something or someone to protect, a senshi would fight.

But it was gone, what Saturn, what Tomoe Hotaru had been fighting for was gone. Carlos could no longer be saved. When she realized it, she'd lost her will entirely. Her will to fight, to protect, to live.

Karasu finished his assault and let the silent senshi fall to her knees, it was time to end it. "Any last words?" he asked as he unsheathed his katana.

"Please," she begged through teary eyes, "Please wake up, Carlos-san. I know you're still in there. Open your eyes. Answer me!"

Karasu didn't reply, he just raised his sword. A moment of stillness occurred when Saturn saw the gleam on the blade. It was risky but it was all she had left. As the blade swooped down, she placed her hand over her jewel.

Karasu froze, the edge of the sword had stopped just a millimeter away from the girl's neck. He stumbled back as the weapon dropped from his hands. He shook his head and rubbed his eyes trying to dispel his confusion. But there was no mistake, what he saw was reality.

"Hotaru?"

There she was, on her knees, bruises all over her face and body, thin lines of blood ran down her eyes and lips, and a larger stain could be seen at her side. Then he saw her eyes, red from all her crying. They shone with a little hope, but mostly, they spilt fear. He looked at himself. Blood covered his arms, sprinkled his face and his chest. None of it was his though, it belonged to all the men he had killed tonight. Some of it still felt warm and had not dried up, that was Hotaru's. He looked at her again. He had claimed that if she was to become hurt, the world would pay, and it was **he **who had nearly slain her.

__

Are you too blind, too stupid? His conscience screamed at him mercilessly. _Look around you, look at all you have done, LOOK AT WHAT YOU ALMOST DID! When the devil are you going to open your eyes and realize?_

Color returned to his skin and the marks on his face faded away. Tears came out of his eyes, real tears, pure and clear. Carlos fell to his knees.

"_Dios mío_. What have I become?"

Painfully, Hotaru got up and made her way towards Carlos. The wound on her side bled terribly but she didn't notice, if she did, she wouldn't have cared. All that occupied her mind was, whether Carlos would be all right. Once she got close enough, she knelt and tried to take Carlos' hand. He jerked away the moment he felt her. Their eyes met, she could see the fear in those black eyes. Instead of the warrior demon he had been so much referred as, he looked like a helpless child.

"I won't hurt you, Carlos-san," she said softly, "I'm your friend, remember?"

"Friend? After what I've—" Hotaru put her finger on his lips.

"Shush." slowly she put her arms around him. Carlos breathing slowed down, he lowered his head and pressed his ear against Hotaru's heart, it was such a soothing sound. Her face was bruised and bloody, yet she smiled. Tears of happiness ran down her cheeks as she held him closer.

"I will never let you go, Carlos-san," she whispered softly. She took a deep breath. "Carlos-san…" Her voice drifted away.

Carlos kept quiet, he listened to Hotaru's heartbeat. Since that night when they found each other, it had become one of his favorite sounds. He kept listening as the pace became calmer and quieter, that's when he realized there was something wrong. Her embrace had suddenly gone limp. He looked down and saw that her clothes were drenched in her own blood!

"_Demonio! _Kashaku, with me!" he picked up the girl and ran to the closest van.

Deimos stomped her foot. "Damn it! Just as we thought things had taken a turn for the better."

"_They have taken a turn for the better, Lady Deimos,_" Kashaku responded, "_It's just that this event has not concluded yet. Let's go!_"

Whirlpool compound:

"That should do it, Christopher," Hawkins said as he closed the program, "Do a little testing if you will." Chris flexed his fingers. That exercise went smoothly. Diamond tip talons extended and retracted from his fingers. Finally, he threw some jabs to test his speed.

"Well I am faster," the cyborg commented, "I'll check out how strong I am later." He turned to look at Hawkins, who was continuing on another project. _This nerd is always busy._ "Hey, Einstein, if you already had all these gadgets lying around. Why didn't you use them when you first…augmented me?"

"Quite simple," the scientist replied, "the organic percentage of your body diminishes each time you are upgraded. Surely you wish to maintain your humanity as long as you can afford."

"Yeah, and you specially want to keep that part you're so fond of using," Blaze quipped as he entered the room. He formed a fiery column on the palm of his left hand. "Unless of course, it's already gone." He swiped the column away with a chop.

"Shut up, Blaze," Chris replied with a growl.

"I would suggest you don't waste energy in that foolish manner, Mr. Blaze," Hawkins scowled, "Useless as you may be awake, that trait somehow increases when you're asleep."

"Fine, fine, I'll turn the fire down." He adjusted the controls on his bracelets. "There, the pilot light's out. Happy?"

"No." Hawkins' pager started beeping. "Now, if you'll excuse me I have truly meaningful work to do." The doctor left without any more words.

"You should have picked the fire, Chris," Blaze began after a while, "It sure needs a lot less maintenance than becoming an android."

"Really? Well I don't have to sleep for like ten hours after using these." He extended his claws. "In fact, I don't even get tired anymore."

"And that doesn't bother you? I thought you enjoyed being in bed. No wait, I'm thinking about Kara. You are into more violent fetishes."

"Possibly new ones," Chris quipped as he scratched the metal table. They both laughed a while, that's how Paul found them when he entered.

"Hey, birdman, what's up?"

"Is Hawkins here?" Paul asked anxiously.

"He left a few minutes ago," Chris answered, "Did you change your mind about his offer? I hear Kara's being fitted for a sort of battle-armor."

"I don't wish to sell my soul for such miserable artifacts!" _If I still own it that is. _"Did you ever stop to think about the consequences of your decisions?"

"It's a bit hard to think when your hand's been chopped off and you're given the promise of power," Chris retorted, "I am a bit regretful now though, and I wouldn't be too surprised to find a warhead hidden inside me. But having new ways to kill makes up for it." He got up. "I'm out to make the most of tonight. See ya."

"What's wrong with him?" Paul asked.

"He's still upset because of the scolding the boss gave us because of our antics."

Paul's eyebrows rose a bit in surprise. "I see. And what about you?"

"Me? It did hurt like hell when I got these powers, and I'd like to get even with the boss for that. But I'm glad I got them, I'm no longer a pushover, I no longer have to rely on wisecracks or on Chris to get me out of a tight spot. I can be tough by myself and I like it."

"Even at the cost of your freedom? Those bracelets you wear are also your shackles!"

"I'm insane, we all are. Why should we care about concepts like morality and freedom?" Paul didn't say another word. Arguing with Blaze was pointless. He left the room and left the madman alone.

Paul got to his quarters and laid down on the bed. He was so preoccupied he forgot to pet his pigeon hello. Blaze was unreliable, Hawkins was loyal or too terrified of Poe, Kara loved the man and would not betray him and Chris might partially agree but was a potential risk. Paul realized that he had to continue his plans alone. And against a man like Allen Poe, this was a dangerous situation.

Outers' Manor:

Haruka Tenoh was a nervous wreck, and staying put while everyone else was out there looking for Hotaru wasn't helping. She wanted to be out there, but Mamoru had said that someone should stay behind, just in case. Michiru had volunteered and Haruka just couldn't leave her.

"Haruka-san, calm down," Rei called out, "you're upsetting me walking around like that."

"Yeah? We'll seeing you two sitting there so calm is upsetting me!" the blonde exploded. Rei was shocked by this reaction, but Michiru gave the taller woman a reprimanding stare. It was more than enough to shame her. "Gomen."

Michiru got up and held her love in an embrace. "We're all worried, Haruka, and everyone's doing something to help find Hotaru, even though it doesn't seem that way." She stepped back and looked at her straight in the eye. "There's a reason I told Mamoru-san that we would stay here. Ever since we became senshi, we've always rushed into action. We need to learn that things can get done passively."

Haruka nodded in agreement. "Hai. And I guess that I need that lesson the most." She giggled. "What I don't understand is: Why is Hime-chan suddenly so eager to help out Karasu? Is there something we're overlooking?" She gave Michiru a questioning gaze and then turned it towards Rei. The raven-haired maiden feigned ignorance.

"How am I supposed to know? The last time I saw Karasu was during Chris and Blaze's attack at the café. And I wasn't present when he, umm, assaulted Hotaru-chan at the party." There was a dash of nervousness in her voice, enough to raise a little suspicion. Lucky for her, the phone rang at just that moment. _Saved by the bell_, "Moshi, moshi… Who is this?… The hospital, what?… By the Kami, we're on our way!" She slammed down the receiver. "That call came from the hospital, Hotaru-chan is there." She gulped before saying the next words. "She's wounded."

Haruka and Michiru wasted no words. In zero seconds flat, the trio was in the car and on their way.

"By the way, Rei-chan," Michiru asked, "Who was the one to call?"

"One of the twins." The aqua-haired woman blinked in disbelief. "Don't ask."

Juban Central Hospital:

"That went fairly well," the human Phobos muttered as she hung up the phone. She'd often seen people use payphones during all those flights over Tokyo with her sister, this was the first time she'd used one herself. She fumbled a bit dialing and searching for Michiru's number on the phonebook, but succeeded in giving Rei the news. There was one side effect to her new experience: six people named Kaioh were very annoyed at her.

Phobos turned her gaze to her sister. They wore sleeveless blouses, red and blue accordingly, and white shorts. Deimos' fidgeting revealed that something was bothering her.

"Is everything okay, Deimos-chan?" Phobos asked the blue-clad girl as she sat down.

"Hai, I'm all right, onee-chan. It's just that, it feels weird sitting around in human form."

"We've been changing into sprite form more often than before. Other than size, this isn't very different."

"It's not being in this shape that bothers me, it's the fact that we're like this in…" The blue-eyed girl looked around. "Public."

"Oh, come on, it's not that bad. We'll get used to this after a while." A couple of wolf-whistles were sent the twins' way. Phobos frowned. "Although there will be some annoying occasions. Besides, it's not the first time we've been in human form among other people. Remember when we were hatchlings back at Coronis." She leaned back as fond memories reemerged.

Deimos sighed and hugged herself. "Hai, playing in the gardens with the gang. Corbie, Chim-chim, Cheroo, Brim…Lead Crow. I wonder how she's doing now."

"Good question. Perhaps a trip back home is in order, ne?"

"And face Princess Coronis after what we've done? No thanks." Deimos looked up. "Hey, there's Princess Mars and the others."

"Already?" Phobos asked wide-eyed, "Princess Uranus must really be a fast driver."

Haruka and Michiru went straight towards the reception desk. Rei halted to greet the twins and bombard them with questions.

"What the hell happened? Where's Karasu? Is Hotaru-chan all right?"

"Long story. Rooftop. Stable so far," Deimos responded, "Please calm down, Princess—er—Rei-san. Things could've ended up a lot worse."

Rei nodded absently. She looked over her shoulder and saw Mamoru and Usagi enter. "Okay, as soon as everyone's here, you'll tell us the story." She lowered her voice. "Later, you'll give Mina-chan and I the unabridged version."

"He was a beast, Poe-sama." One of the troopers related the incident to Allen. "I saw him from a distance. He didn't ask questions he just slew left and right."

"He didn't pause?" Allen's calmness made total contrast with the troopers' panicky behavior. "Didn't he take a good look at each before dispatching them?"

"Ie! I told you he just acted like an animal!" Allen narrowed his eyes at that outburst. "Gomen nasai, Sir, it's just that I—"

"No need for apologize, I know that must have been quite an experience. Go on to the next room, Dr Hawkins will see to it that you receive your reward." As the troopers left, Hawkins approached Allen.

"A strange change of behavior. Wouldn't you say, Mr. Poe, Sir? All of the previous reports have shown Karasu to be more controlled, still a murderer, but controlled."

"It's not so strange when you know what to expect, Hawkins," Allen replied with a mysterious grin, "And this makes my goals a bit easier to accomplish." He got up. "I have things to do. Take these fine young men with you and give them what they deserve."

"Are you sure, Mr. Poe, Sir?" Hawkins questioned, "They are efficient combatants, it would be a shame not to keep them on the payroll."

"Agreed, it is a shame. But they followed Takata's commands and their style is his. With him dead, they are practically useless."

"Very well, Sir." Hawkins went to where the others waited.

"Besides," Allen added, "the drones deserve some fresh meat once in a while."

Carlos got out of the van and scanned the area. From the looks of things no one ever came to this place. The van would be safely hidden. He wasn't interested in the vehicle at all, he traveled much faster jumping from rooftop to rooftop. It was the arsenal inside what attracted him, all those rifles and explosives gave him a very pleasant feeling. But it was a very brief pleasure, his thought went back to Hotaru being rushed into the hospital building. He slammed his hand to the door as he recalled some of the words he heard from the medics:

"_Too much blood lost. Entering shock. Ready the O.R._"

"Hotaru is dying," he said to his reflection on the window, "and it's all because of you." Without noticing his whole body started trembling. His fury arose as the marks on his face began to appear.

"_Steel your temper, Warrior! You don't want to lose control again._" Carlos looked up and saw Kashaku perched on the wind spoiler. He closed his eyes and took a deep relaxing breath.

"How's Hotaru?"

"_Lady Saturn will survive, although she will be in a weakened state for some time. Ladies Phobos and Deimos did a good administering first aid_."

"Oh yeah, the girls in swimsuits. Gotta remember to thank them." The teen gave his guardian a questioning gaze. "There's something that makes them similar to you Kashaku. Care to comment on that?"

"_Umm, let us just say that we are related somehow,_" the bird responded. "_So what now? Will you be paying Lady Saturn a visit?_"

"Do you think it's appropriate to go like this?" Carlos asked in a grave voice. Kashaku checked out his ward's appearance, blood still covered him and he was half naked.

"_The blood will clean up easily enough. And as for clothing, I'm sure you will manage to thieve, that is, obtain something decent._"

"That's not what I meant," Carlos declared. He poked his finger at his head. "It's what's in here what worries me. The hate that I felt towards Chris and his gang was only minimal compared to the rage I was going through earlier. I thought that the senshi's insults had caused it, but now I realize that they only triggered it. The bloodlust is in me, it always has been. It's probably been there since I was human." He stared at his reflection once more, "Little by little, I'm starting to learn what I am, Kashaku, and it frightens me."

Author's notes:

Deimos: Someone went a trifle overboard calling out our names.

This comment is related to the translated names of the twin crows. In Greek, Phobos means fear and Deimos is sorrow, although some translate it as panic.


	11. Death and Rebirth 11

****

Death and Rebirth

Chapter eleven:

Whirlpool compound:

Allen Poe ground another handful of herbs. Once he had obtained a fine powder, he poured it into an already simmering bowl. He had been working on this particular ritual all through the night, since he'd gotten news from Takata's assassins. There was a knock on the door, but he paid no heed.

"Allen?" Kara called as she entered, "What are you doing darling?" she asked in a childlike tone.

"A simple incantation my beloved. I'll be with you as soon as I'm done with this." Allen took out a hand made map of Tokyo and placed it on the table.

"Ooh, you're casting a spell." Kara wrinkled her nose. "Honey, can't you make a potion that doesn't smell like Chris after a workout?"

"Sadly, the elaboration of perfumes is an art I've never been able to master." Allen took out a brush and began spreading the mixture over the map. His movements were intricate and each one had its meaning. Although to Kara's eyes, it seemed as he was just covering the same spots over and over. She strained her ear and noticed that he was humming a strange tune, it sent shivers down her spine.

Allen's recitation was said in an arcane language. Roughly translated, it would go something like this:

"I seek forth the warrior of blood and bird of night.

I summon to me, the one with no heart and no soul.

Now your true face has been revealed.

You have no choice, but to heed my call."

"That was a creepy rime Allen," the mocha-skinned woman noted, "I guess it serves an equally dark purpose, which is…"

"Which has something to do with Karasu no shi. The moment I learnt exactly what kind of a warrior he is, I knew that I could use this spell." His eyes widened with pain suddenly as he clutched his chest, he fell to the floor.

"Allen!" Kara rushed to his aid. She kept close to him as his breathing went back to normal. "Allen, how long have you've been working at this?" Her tone was unusually serious.

"Only a few hours," he answered weakly, "Don't worry, I'm done with the physical work. All that's left to do now is wait." The mixture needed to dry up in order for the magic to kick in, and that would take nearly a day. Plus, the final results would not be obtained for a while afterwards. Allen struggled to get up. "Well, back to running a conglomerate."

"You're staying here and you're getting some sleep," Kara ordered, "All those accountants and lawyers you have will have to get the job done by themselves." Allen was about to protest but was silenced beforehand. "You are in a delicate condition, and chasing after Karasu has made it worse. Get some rest, you need it." Allen sighed and gave a gentle smile. It amazed him still how this woman had managed to reach his heart.

"You're right my love," he kissed Kara and let her carry him to his bed.

Once Kara made sure Allen was asleep, she made her way out quietly. Once outside she dropped back against the wall and sighed exasperatedly.

"Well, there goes a romantic evening," she snorted, "Why oh why did I fall for that man?"

__

That's obvious, her subconscious answered. _You're insane_.

Juban Central hospital:

The board of directors at the hospital had decided to use part of the donation given to them by 'Dark Feather' to build an outdoors cafeteria. They said the natural surrounding would help soothe anxious visitors. It wasn't quite working on Haruka.

The rest of the group had arrived shortly after Michiru, Rei and herself. After receiving numerous compliments about their appearance, Phobos and Deimos related the previous events that had occurred.

"Somewhere along the fight, Karasu snapped out of his lunacy. But by then, Princess Saturn had already been severely wounded." Phobos paused a while to let the three outer senshi assimilate the news. "When Karasu realized the critical condition she was in, he rushed her to the hospital, we helped."

"But once we arrived here and checked her in, he disappeared again," Deimos concluded, "We haven't seen him since."

"If he knows what's good for him, he better keep away," Haruka growled, "If I ever get my hands on him…" Michiru thought about scolding Haruka but held back, she was rightfully angry and needed to let it out.

"One of the doctors gave us a bit of information," the violinist said, changing the subject slightly, "Her wound seemed to be made by a blade or similar weapon. We thought it would be his katana, but then he said that there was a strange burn on her skin." She looked straight at the twins. "What did he use against her?"

"The ebon shears," Phobos responded, "One of the many ways darkness can be molded into a weapon."

"Darkness?" Usagi asked in a trembling voice, "Do you mean, negative energy?"

"He's an undead, Usagi, it's what keeps him alive," Rei said, "But that doesn't make him evil." Usagi nodded understandingly. The young maiden leaned back into her seat. During the time she was waiting at the outers' manor, she'd felt a burst of that so-called dark energy. She didn't say anything then, but know… "Phobos-chan, Deimos-chan, I know you're not allowed to say much, but you should have warned us about Karasu no shi having such power."

"_Your guardians had no idea that the warrior possessed such abilities, Lady Mars._"

Everyone looked up. There was the bird, perched on top of the parasol.

"Kashaku-kun!" Minako exclaimed, "Is Karasu here?"

"_He is around, but will not come personally_."

Carlos Navarro did attend the meeting. He sat way up above on the hospital's roof watching through the crow-vision.

__

So, Don Tenoh is Sailor Uranus. He chuckled. _Figures, meeting two marimacho perras was too much of a coincidence. Now, let's see what we can learn_.

"It's nice to see you again Kashaku-san," Makoto greeted, "I only wish it were on a happier occasion."

"_Likewise, Lady Jupiter. Now, I believe you have some inquiries about the warrior._"

"Hai," Mamoru answered, "We would like to know about his abilities and the reason for his sudden madness." Something dawned upon him. "One second. If you know who we are, then Karasu—"

"_When Lady Saturn revealed her identity, she unwillingly revealed all of you. My apologies, your highness, but even though the warrior has agreed to reveal secrets about himself, his identity was not one of them._"

"How convenient," Haruka commented sarcastically.

"Haruka, hush!"

"Princess Saturn knows who Karasu is," Deimos said in a cold voice, "Why don't you ask her?" Everyone looked at the blue-clad twin in surprise, her sister more so. Kashaku ruffled his feathers and began his lecture.

"_In every group or specie, there appear certain individuals who excel from the rest. Among Earth's mortals there have been people like Mozart, Van Gogh and Gandhi, to name a few. And just as some stand out among the living, others stand out in death._"

Usagi's eyes widened. "Wait a minute, Kashaku-kun. Are you saying that Karasu is a sort of super zombie?"

The guardian sweat-dropped. "_That would be a very improper title, your highness. No, the warrior is simply that, a warrior. He just possesses more power. I first suspected when he first fought Lady Saturn and managed to hold his ground. Further clues started to convince me. And finally, I went to Ladies Phobos and Deimos for assistance._" He sighed. "_Despite the law, I had to prevent another disaster from occurring_."

"What kind of a disaster?" Setsuna inquired with keen interest.

"Warriors like Karasu no shi are extremely rare," Phobos began, "For some reason, they have greater abilities than the rest."

"The price for this superiority however is a more unstable mind," Deimos continued, "The last warrior from this planet to have such power lost control completely. He became that which he was supposed to eliminate."

"A monster," Carlos stated to himself. He remembered how he had cruelly killed all those people back at the nest. Even though they had probably murdered thousands of times for money, they surely deserved something better than such a ghastly doom. A creature that can kill so quick and easily, without a second thought or a hint of remorse, is something truly frightening. But what really frightened Carlos, was the fact that becoming such a creature, was actually appealing to him.

"It's too soon right now," Usagi began, "but we must meet with Karasu again. We can't allow him to harm any innocents or himself. Perhaps once Hotaru-chan is fully recovered, ne Kashaku-kun?"

"_I will speak to the warrior, I just hope that he agrees._"

"Excuse me," a woman's voice called out, "I have news regarding Tomoe-san." Everyone present looked up, Ami got to her feet.

"Okousan, how is Hotaru-chan?"

"The cut wasn't too deep, although she did lose a large amount of blood," Dr Mizuno said, trying to keep her tone as neutral as she could, "She's in her room now, unconscious but stable." She saw everyone get up. "No visitors, she needs to rest." This added statement resulted in disappointed mugs coming from the girls. The eldest trio insisted.

"Can't we see her for a little while?" Michiru pleaded, "Just the three of us." Dr Mizuno shook her head.

"Okay, okay. A short while, and don't overwhelm her. She really needs the rest."

"Caw!"

Everyone started and looked up at the crow, who just flew up and away. Rei, and four others, got the message.

"I just remembered, I got to make some phone calls," Minako prompted as she latched herself onto Rei, "Wanna come with me Rei-chan?"

"Uh—"

"Sure you do, let's go." Both girls left, one being dragged and one dragging. Everyone sweat-dropped and Setsuna shook her head for their lack of subtlety.

"I guess the rest of us should go home," Makoto said while stretching, "Andre-chan and I have a meeting with the other teachers about the school's temporary locations. Usagi-chan, Mamoru-san, would you two mind giving me a ride?" she requested.

"Not at all, Mako-chan," the blonde answered cheerfully, "What about the rest of you guys?"

"I'll wait for okousan to take me home," Ami responded.

"That may take a few hours, Ami-chan," her mother warned.

"Perfect," the azure-haired girl grinned, "that means there's time to help in whatever I can." Dr Mizuno smiled warmly, she then noticed Deimos and Phobos' presence.

"Oh hello, I believe you're new to the group."

"Not exactly," the red twin responded, "we've been Rei-san's friends for quite a while."

"And we're sorry to have to leave now," Deimos added, "We're getting a bit tired from staying on the ground for so long." This comment earned her a curious stare from Dr Mizuno and an elbow from her sister.

Haruka coughed. "Mizuno-sama, could we see Hotaru-chan now?"

"Gomen, of course. Follow me." A moment later the group had dissipated.

"She's right in here," Dr Mizuno said as she opened the door. She stopped suddenly, her eyes scanning the room nervously.

"Is something wrong, Mizuno-sama?" Michiru asked.

"Ie, I just thought I saw something," the doctor replied, "Well, I've got work to do. Please, try to be brief," saying that, she left.

Michiru approached and sat down beside Hotaru. An I.V. bottle was attached to her arm, and she looked paler than usual. On the good side, her breathing and pulse were strong and regular. She wiped away the bangs out of the young girl's eyes. Her face depicted either anger or fear.

"Kuso, I hate to see her like this," Haruka muttered, "How could we let something like this happen?"

"She's growing up, Haruka," her lover responded, "Little by little she will become more independent and face bigger dangers." Her face became serious, "And we won't always be there."

"I know that," Haruka said in a louder voice than she meant, "It's just that seeing her like that reminds me of when I tried to—" She swallowed hard. "You know."

"All of us are guilty of that, Haruka," Setsuna said sternly, "Taking all the blame for yourself won't do anyone any good. Especially not Hime-chan."

Things went quiet for a while as the trio watched their little princess sleep. After a few more minutes, Setsuna spoke again.

"You know? We should call Reiko-chan. I'm sure it would cheer up Hime-chan to see her here."

"Hai," Michiru said, "and for that matter, we should also try and contact Carlos-san."

"That baka gaijin?" Haruka protested.

"That gaijin is Hime-chan's friend," the aqua-haired woman scolded, "And in case you haven't noticed. She doesn't have many her own age."

"Che, if you had heard what he told me you wouldn't say that." The tension between the two began to grow. Michiru realized that this wouldn't do Hotaru any good.

"I guess we should leave now and let Hime-chan sleep," she got up and walked to the door, followed by Haruka. "Setsuna, are you coming?"

"I'd like to stay a while longer," the emerald-haired woman answered, "I'll take a cab home, don't worry." The other two nodded and left. Once her companions had left, Setsuna turned towards the shadows and called out. "You can stop hiding now." A moment passed before a male figure stepped out.

"Did you know I was here, or were you just guessing?" Carlos asked.

"Well sir, if you don't know, I'm certainly not going to tell you," Setsuna answered with her trademark grin.

Carlos chuckled as he approached the bed. He glanced at the result of his actions. It upset him to see such a pained look on that face. Slowly, his hand started to move closer to her.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Setsuna warned guessing his intentions, "If you do, all the suffering you two have gone through will be for nothing." The dark-eyed teen glared back at her, then let out a deep sigh.

"Maybe you're right, but there's something I have to try." He raised his hand until it hovered just above Hotaru's brow. _Please, please let me do something good, something that doesn't hurt. _He gently touched her and withdrew his hand almost immediately. The girl tossed for a moment, and Carlos was afraid that he made yet another mistake. But then her lips broke into a tiny smile, Carlos smiled also.

"Eto, what did you just do?" Carlos didn't reply, at least not to Setsuna.

"Sweet dreams, Hotaru," the undead teen whispered. He turned to Setsuna once more. "I have to go now," he told her as he headed for the window.

"Matte! Before you leave, Rei-chan, Mina-chan and I would like a word with you."

Carlos narrowed his eyes. "You're not still trying to draft me into your group, are you?"

Setsuna scowled. "For your information, I've always found that military method quite questionable. Look, all we want to do is talk. We might even help you feel better about yourself. Besides, I'm sure it would please Kashaku-san if you did this." Carlos stood silent for a while and then just shrugged.

"Ah, what the hell? I've nothing else to do anyway." Setsuna rolled her eyes and shook her head. Nevertheless, she was pleased for his decision. She headed for the door and peeked into the corridor.

"The others are waiting on the rooftop along with the birds. Wait here until I find you something to wear." She just stood there blinking when she found out she was talking to no one. She grumbled annoyed. _As if anyone is going to see him._

Chris, Kara and Blaze were at an underground Goth-bar somewhere in Juban. The redhead downed his drink in one gulp.

"Quite thoughtful of the Doc to let us see how he feeds the drones. Those spitters really know how to make soup the easy way."

Chris nodded. "Yep, that they do. Personally, I prefer the way the skeletons eat their prey alive. There's something in screams of agony that gives me a warm feeling inside."

"I wholeheartedly agree," Kara said as she dipped her finger into her glass then sucked on it. "I only wish Hawkins would've sent them my way first. Some of them were really good looking."

"What? Allen's not satisfying anymore? I could help out in that area you know," Chris offered seductively.

"No thank you, Mr. Roboto," the dark-haired woman quipped. She took a sip of her drink and looked at the other patrons. Only a few were in their twenties, most of them were teenagers. Disgruntled children trying to get back at their parent by throwing themselves into vices. Kara looked into their eyes, many were bloodshot and lost, consequences of alcohol or drugs; many more tattoos and way too many piercings; and a large group had masked their faces with black make up.

"I'm starting to think that I'm the only murderer who hasn't seen Karasu no shi in person."

"Don't get your hopes up," Blaze said, "Next time Chris and I meet him, he's dead…again."

"Oh really," Kara laughed, "If I remember correctly, he cleaned the floor with you two."

"Hey, the sailor broads were there also," Chris protested, "Besides, what could you do? Even with that armor the Doc's building you, he'll finish you easily."

"I could give quite a fight all by myself. And don't you dare say anything about me being a woman."

"How about being a woman in love?" Blaze quipped and got a glare from Kara, "Face it, chick, you're starting to grow soft, no matter how tough you talk."

"Exactly why women shouldn't be in this business. Love comes in and the edge is gone."

Kara grumbled. "Why I keep hanging out with a couple of pigs like you two, I'll never know. Implants or infusions, I'm still the leader and the deadliest." Chris narrowed his eyes as he extended his talons.

"Care to back up that statement." Kara smiled wickedly in response.

"Glad to." No sooner she said that, Chris fell on the floor shaking uncontrollably and moaning loudly.

"Chris! What's wrong man?"

"This," the mocha-skinned woman answered as she showed a silver ring next to the cloaking one, "Allen wouldn't make you guys stronger without giving me a way of keeping you under control." She looked down at Chris, who was starting to get up. "Plus, he knows of your intentions towards me. How are you feeling honey?" she teased. The cyborg got up groggily and gave his partner a long hard stare.

"Bitch," he finally muttered.

"That's sweet," Kara joked, "Just for that, I'll make it up to you." She scanned the place once more. "See those girls?" She was pointing at two very young ones. "I'll pick them up and we'll have some fun." She got up and Blaze followed her with his eyes.

"She's really something, isn't she?" the redhead commented.

"Yeah. And she raised a good point. Thanks to Hawkins, we now have an incredible power. Each of us alone could easily defeat a small military squad. If Allen made sure that she's got a way to stay on top of us, then he must have taken precautions as well." He drank the last of his beer. "It's scary to think how much strength he must be hiding. Don't you think so Blaze?"

"Yeah baby! Shake that booty! Hey Chris, you think Kara's willing get that one for us too?" The black-haired murderer slapped himself.

"Shut up, Blaze."

Rei Hino and Minako Aino stood at the hospital rooftop waiting for Setsuna Meioh. And perhaps, Carlos Navarro. The avian trio, Kashaku, Phobos and Deimos, were gliding above in wide circles.

"It's a bit funny, ne?" Minako began, "How all our confidants happen to be animals or at least take such shape." She remembered the Sailor animates and began to wonder whether each of the senshi had a link to those faraway planets. Rei brought her out of her musing with a comment of her own.

"Deimos is behaving oddly."

"You can tell them apart while they're crows?" the blonde asked wide-eyed, "I can hardly distinguish them against the sky."

The maiden giggled. "My sixth sense, silly, remember? They may look the same but their auras are completely different." She looked up again. "I guess it also has to do with the fact we've been together so long. I could tell them apart even if I wasn't Sailor Mars."

"That makes sense. And by the way, how is Deimos-chan acting differently?"

"It's nothing serious. Her flight pattern seems to shift somewhat whenever she glides close to Kashaku-san. He's the larger one, just so you know."

They both watched quietly for a few minutes before Minako spoke again.

"You think that's the way birds flirt?" Rei big-sweated as soon as the question reached her ears.

"Mina-chan, is that **all** that occupies your mind?"

"At least it's better than blood-thirst, that's for sure."

Both girls turned and saw Carlos leaning next to the stairwell. Setsuna was also there, obviously surprised to see the boy.

"_Señorita _Meioh says you want to talk to me. I'm here, let's hear it."

All three longhaired females looked at each other confused. They never did consider what they were going to say to him. It was a few minutes until the raven-haired one finally spoke.

"Well, I guess I should start by saying that: We are upset because of what you did to Hotaru-chan." Carlos winced visibly at that comment. "But it's clear now that you acted unconsciously, we won't hold a grudge, Carlos-san." She mentally slapped herself then. "Ara, gomen ne, Setsuna-san. I didn't consider—"

"It's quite all right, Rei-chan," the emerald-haired woman assured, "My feelings are quite similar to what you just said. And you, Carlos-san," she said to the boy, "what do you have to say about all this?"

"I wanted to kill her," he said flatly, "Maybe it was insanity what was leading me to do it. But I remember my bloodlust all too well." He dug his fingers into the cement guardrail. "I still have that lust, and only time can tell when it will break its reins again."

Setsuna was quite astonished, if not terrified, at what she just heard. She nearly failed to keep a straight face. She had to try and reach out to this boy, for Hotaru's sake. Setsuna took a deep breath, she hated to do this, but for once, she was short on ideas.

"You're not the first who has tried to finish Hime-chan," the gatekeeper said with as calm a voice as she could manage.

"Oh that's obvious," the teen answered cynically, "You senshi must face all sorts of enemies all the time."

"But do you know who went after her before anyone else?" Carlos shook his head. The elder senshi gave the other two a look, which meant she wanted no interruptions whatsoever. "I did."

Carlos didn't suppress his shock. "_Qué demonio? _What are you talking about? Aren't you supposed to be her mother?"

"A fact which makes this a lot more painful," she said more to herself, "When Tomoe Hotaru was still just a girl and not a senshi. We thought her awakening as Sailor Saturn meant the end of the world, after all, she is the senshi of death and rebirth. So before that happened, we decided to destroy her. This was roughly three years ago."

Carlos made a quick calculation. "But that means… She was only eleven years old, twelve tops."

"Hai, we didn't care if she was just a child, whether her life was already filled with suffering or the fact that Usagi-tachi were all her friends. She was a threat to Earth and she had to be destroyed." She sat down next to Carlos, her ruby eyes started getting misty. "We always believed that the end justified the means. As long as the mission was accomplished, it didn't matter which lives were sacrificed, innocents or ours. These beliefs have made me commit a lot of painful mistakes."

Carlos thought for a while before giving his answer. "Tell me. Did you have to, or **want **to destroy her?" The senshi of time had no idea how to answer that. He was right, passion and reason can make quite a difference in the end. Rei however didn't hold back. Stomping her foot, she yelled at the undead teen.

"Kuso! Can't you see that we're trying to help you?"

"And can't you see that I want Hotaru to be safe?" he snapped back, "I already told you, the madness is still in me. I nearly killed her once, I won't let it happen again!"

"You could do something about such madness," Setsuna said coolly, "Instead of just whimpering like a child." Carlos narrowed his eyes, their blackness intensifying. He gave said black stare to both Rei and Setsuna. The latter had to use all of her will power to keep her unfazed demeanor.

"Just keep Hotaru away," he said as he began to leave.

"_Why such cowardice, Warrior?_"

All four looked up. There were Kashaku and the twins, in crow form, keeping watch all this time.

"What the hell do you mean by that, _guajolote_?"

"_Whenever you find a murderer, you immediately destroy him, without any sign of fear whatsoever. Now, you find a murderer within you, and are too scared to face him._" Kashaku was nearly smiling, he could see that his words were having effect upon his ward. "_You are afraid because you have no idea how to face this battle. Lady Pluto is offering you a method, listen to her._" Carlos nodded. There was a point to the guardian's words. And above all, he was not a coward.

"Okay, _Señorita _Meioh, what's your plan?"

"The feline guardians," the gatekeeper deadpanned.

"Cats?"

"_Lady Luna and Sir Artemis? But how can they assist the warrior?_"

"The problem we're dealing with is inside your head, they posses special abilities in that area."

Minako snapped her fingers. "That's right! Luna-chan caused our memories to resurface during the doom tree incident." Her mood then changed. "But wait, do you think we should let them know about Carlos-kun being Karasu no shi?"

"If Luna-chan learns this, there's the risk of Usagi and Mamoru-san knowing," Rei pointed out, "And they definitely mustn't know yet. So we will only tell Artemis-kun." The blonde nodded in agreement. "Do you agree with this plan, Carlos-san?"

"I'm not quite sure if there is a plan." Even after all he'd been through, Carlos was still skeptical about things like this. "But you're right, I should find a solution instead of just complaining." He wiped his hand over his face and became Karasu. "Bring this Artemis guy, or cat whatever, to my place. Tomorrow at noon."

"_Your guardians know the way to the nest, Lady Mars,_" Kashaku indicated as he took off.

"Matte, Carlos-kun! There's one more thing," Minako called out.

"_Si?_" The blonde gave out a gentle gaze.

"Go visit Hotaru-chan. Seeing you will do her a lot of good." Karasu said nothing, he just gave a tremendous back flip, off the roof and over the edge.

"Ie!" The trio ran over to see him fall but found no one. Rei huffed.

"Well, his sense of humor is returning. That has to be a good sign."

"Indeed it is," Setsuna added, "And, Mina-chan, I don't mind you playing matchmaker. But please, **keep Hime-chan out of your games!**"

"Gomen," Minako said sheepishly. _But I don't think those two need my interference at all_.

All the while Usagi, Mamoru and the others were at the hospital, Luna had stayed up waiting for the couple to return. At least as long as she could. She'd worked all day along with Artemis and Ami to find out more about Hotaru's probable ailment. A labor that brought them no more knowledge than they started with. This, plus her worry for the violet-eyed girl had left her exhausted. So she was asleep by the time Usagi and Mamoru came home. The rattle of keys roused her up.

"Tadaima," Usagi called out softly. The cat ran over to greet them.

"Usagi-chan, Mamoru-sama, how is Hotaru-chan?"

"According to Mizuno-sama, she will be all right," Usagi replied as she picked up Luna, "All she needs is to rest and recover her strength." The blonde girl walked up to the couch and let herself drop. "You could have come with us you know, instead of just staying here all alone."

"Usagi-chan, you went to a hospital. They don't let animals in there."

"You can always change into a human," Usagi retorted, "Phobos-chan and Deimos chan did, and spent the entire while with us."

"I don't know how it works for those two," Luna said annoyed, "But Artemis-kun and I can only change when it's extremely necessary."

"That's right, Usako," Mamoru seconded, "Phobos-chan and Deimos-chan needed their human form in order to attend Hotaru properly, and to see that she was registered into the hospital."

Usagi blushed. "Ano, I guess I didn't consider that. Gomen, Luna-chan."

"That's quite all right. But at any rate, what exactly happened over there?"

Usagi told all she knew. How Karasu no shi and Sailor Saturn had fought. That he was a reservoir of immense power, and that such power could cost him his mind.

"Ara, that's terrible," Luna exclaimed, "But, is there still a chance for him to be our ally?"

"He didn't slay Hotaru-chan. And from the way Kashaku-kun spoke, I can tell he was sorry." Usagi broke into a bright smile. "I'm positive that we'll be able to help him and he'll become our ally."

"I wouldn't be so sure about us being able to help him, Usako," Mamoru said suddenly. Usagi was puzzled by this comment. She looked into her Mamo-chan's eyes, they seemed deep with concern. Luna noticed this too and looked up at her charge to see something similar. She suspected the couple would appreciate some time alone.

"I'm turning in. Goodnight, you two."

"Goodnight, Luna-chan." As soon as the cat was gone, Usagi moved closer to her husband. "What's wrong, Mamo-chan?"

"I was thinking about Karasu. And then I thought about other enemies that you and the rest had to face, enemies similar to him." The blonde blinked in confusion, Mamoru explained. "Do you remember how some of your foes were humans possessed by an evil force?"

"Hai, the ginzuishou's power was able to purify all of those people from the evil. Surely I could do the same for Karasu. If he lets me, of course."

"I thought about that too, Usako, but then I realized another factor, where the evil comes from." Usagi was lost again. "All those others we've faced in the past were possessed by an outside force. Karasu's fury came from within. That darkness Kashaku-san told us about is a part of him. I you use the ginzuishou to eradicate it, he might just be destroyed as well."

"So… You think that there's no way we can help him." Mamoru raised his sight and saw the sad look in her blue eyes. He raised his hand and gently caressed her face.

"I was the one who volunteered to help Karasu, ne? There is way to aid him, all we have to do is look for it harder." He stood up and got Usagi to rise as well. "But that search will begin tomorrow. Let us rest for tonight."

Usagi reached up and kissed Mamoru. "Let us rest and dream of a brighter future."

Outers' Manor:

'Twas nearly midnight when Setsuna finally got home. The sound of glass clinking caught her attention. "Who's there?" she called out as she made her way into the kitchen, "Ah, Michiru-san. What are you doing up at this hour?"

"I just came down for a glass of water," the aqua-haired woman replied, "What's your excuse for coming in so late?"

"Thoughts." Even though Setsuna had a talent for keeping her emotions hidden, the melancholy in her answer was too obvious to ignore.

She made her way to the living room and sat on her favorite chair. She did some planning along with the other longhaired senshi about how they would meet Carlos the next day. They decided that Rei and Minako should go the crow's nest alone. Setsuna should stay behind so that they wouldn't raise suspicion. After all, everyone expected her to pay her Hime-chan a visit. The only matter left was: when and how to tell the rest about Carlos Navarro being Karasu no shi. But that wasn't all that was on her mind.

She looked up and saw Michiru seated in front of her.

"If you're waiting for me to tell you what's on my mind, you're in for a long wait, Michiru-san."

"I give violin and art lessons," Michiru reminded, "ergo, I also posses the virtue of patience. Something's troubling you, Setsuna-san, and I won't leave you alone until I find out what."

The emerald-haired woman sighed in defeat. "Do you think it's a valid excuse? To do terrible things and say that in the end it's for the good of everyone. Is a worthy cause enough to redeem one from his or her crimes?"

"Are you talking about Karasu?" Michiru narrowed her eyes. "Or us?"

"Probably both."

"(Sigh) Setsuna-san, you're the one who said it, we are all guilty of trying to destroy Hime-chan. We wanted to destroy her, but thanks to Kami-sama's grace and thanks to Usagi-chan, we never did anything like that to her." She placed her hands on her sister's shoulders. "We were blessed with great luck, please realize that."

"I do realize, Michiru-san. But it wasn't our hunt for the dark messiah that I thought about. There are other things I don't feel so proud about."

"The search for the talismans?" Although Michiru was almost sure that wasn't it.

"Ie, I mean things that happened before that." Setsuna nearly chuckled when she saw the expression on Michiru's face. "Don't be so surprised. I too once had a different life before the mantle of Sailor Pluto was bestowed upon me." She got up and made her way upstairs. "There are many things about me that you don't know." _That you don't want to know. _Michiru was left alone and confused.

Haruka became worried that her love hadn't come back right away. She was halfway downstairs when she heard the two talking in the living room. She had heard everything.

Before Setsuna came up, Haruka was already in her room. She recalled a part of the conversation she'd listened into.

"_Is a worthy cause enough to redeem one from his or her crimes?… We never did anything like that to her… We were blessed with great luck._"

Haruka sighed with heartfelt sorrow. _She's right, we never did anything like that to her_. _It was up to me to do something worse._ The sand-blonde turned out her lamp and lied down.

Something unusual happened that night. Tenoh Haruka, cried herself to sleep.


	12. Death and Rebirth 12

****

Death and Rebirth

Chapter twelve:

Juban Central hospital:

Hotaru awoke with a smile on her face, for the first time in many nights, there were no nightmares to haunt her. No, this time she'd dreamt about a loved one, a lost loved one. It was a sad dream yes, but one that reminded her of someone very special, and that had made her happy.

Then she heard a sad little tune in the air. The young girl opened her eyes as sat up to see were the sound was coming from. What she found made her heart even lighter, there was Carlos. He was sitting on a chair, waiting for Hotaru to awake, singing a bit to keep himself entertained.

"_Oye cucú, papá se fue_

Prende la luz, que tengo miedo

Oye cucú, papá se fue

Prende la luz y apaga el tiempo."

"You have a lovely voice," Hotaru commented as Carlos finished the verse. The boy sat up with a start when he saw that his friend was finally up.

"Hotaru!" quickly, he went up to the bed and sat next to her. He tried reaching for her but held back, afraid of how she might react. Shame and remorse overcame him yet again. "Hotaru I—"

"Please! You've done enough apologizing already. I don't want you to keep on saying you're sorry the rest of your life…or death." Carlos gave a sad chuckle. "But still," the girl continued, "You haven't given me any kind of apology for hurting my pride."

Carlos tilted his head, "I don't follow."

"Back at the warehouse, where we had our first battle," Hotaru reminded him, "Hanging around like a puppet wasn't at all pleasant."

"_Ah sí_, now I remember." He gave his friend a mischievous smirk. "But seriously, that position did show off some of your best qualities." This joke gained Carlos a pillow on his face.

"Hentai," the teen scolded. Muffled laughs came from under the pillow, which miffed Hotaru even more. She reached up and pulled the pillow away to release Carlos' laughter. To hear that sound from a guy who'd worked so hard to make himself a reputation bad enough so that people would fear his shadow, well, she just couldn't stay angry. "Carlos-san, you have no idea how good it feels to see you smile."

"You have no idea how good it is to know I can still smile," he responded through chortles. The undead teen took a deep breath. "The truth now, Hotaru. How do you feel?"

"Better than ever, now that understand what those dreams meant." She got a questioning gaze from her friend. "I'll explain later." Hotaru sighed. "How did I get here anyway? Did the twins use teleportation?"

"No," he said wide-eyed, "but let's get back to that later." Carlos related how he'd driven her here, about all that Kashaku had revealed to the senshi and to himself, and how Setsuna and the others were planning some sort of therapy conducted by a cat.

"Ara, that's sounds dangerous." Hotaru began toying with her blankets. "So, I guess after you're done with that, you'll be able to work with us completely." He gave her back a serious look. "Oh, I know Haruka-papa will protest. But I'm sure that Usagi-san and Mamoru-san will be able to convince her."

"I don't think convincing _Don Tenoh_ will be any problem," Carlos said somberly, "since I won't be working with your team at all."

"Nani?"

"I have to go on alone, Hotaru. This mission of vengeance is mine not yours, you and your friends shouldn't get involved. My foes are a lot more powerful than I expected, and Kashaku has told me about this upcoming peace you guys will bring." The boy took a deep breath. "I'm not going let you risk that future for my cause." He began to rise. "And I won't risk getting you hurt again."

"Hurt?" Hotaru reached up and pulled Carlos down by his ponytail. "Che! Between today and the Crystal millennium a lot of things are bound to happen, and we will not shy away from them!" She crossed her arms. "And for your information, buster, I've been fighting beasts and demons much longer than you have. Back at Seiryu I managed to take down dozens of drones single handedly. So don't say that this 'whirlpool gang' is too dangerous for a bunch of girls."

"And what if new kinds of drones show up? What if Chris is upgraded with a weapon you have no defense against?" he assaulted as he pulled away, "Plus, I'm still angry, Hotaru, and I still want vengeance. What if that thing Artemis does to me only works for a while, and in the least expected moment, I lose control again? What if it backfires? What if I kill you before you manage to calm me down!?"

Hotaru took a deep breath before answering, her own anger was starting to get the best of her. "I doubt you would be able to slay me, Carlos-san. But if that, the Kami forbid, were to happen I'm sure that the others will still be able to help you."

"Do you really think so?" the undead teen replied with a snort, "The first thing _Don Tenoh _would try is to hack me with her machete, and she could only try. I was able to beat you before these powers manifested and you are the second strongest senshi. Not even Kashaku knows what limits I will reach, if there are any." He walked away from her. "Please, Hotaru, stay away from me. I won't stand having you go through this again because of me."

"And I can't stand the idea of you giving yourself into despair without anyone there to help you out!" she cried out loud. "Oh, why are we beating around the bush? Just say the real reason you don't want us around."

"I've already told you, Hotaru, I—"

"The **real **reason!" the violet-eyed girl demanded.

A growl came out of Carlos' throat. He took off his sunglasses and his eyes got darker. "The real reason? Fine! I can't stand all of your phony sympathy. Everyone's saying: 'I know what you're going through' and stuff like that. I took a glimpse into _Señorita _Kino's memory, Hotaru. Most of you know what it's like to lose your family. And all of you know what it's like to die. What you don't understand is what sort of a creature I am!"

"An undead," Hotaru guessed.

"Right! I breathe, I bleed and my heart beats, but I'm not alive. I'm dead, Hotaru, none of you could possibly know what I feel!" He looked down in anguish. "But I am worried about you, Hotaru, I don't want to hurt you, that is the truth."

Hotaru shook her head. "I know, Carlos-san, I'm sorry I snapped at you, but I can't stand you being so stubborn. Just because a person hasn't had the same experiences you have, doesn't mean that he or she can't be your friend. Have you forgotten already that you wanted my friendship?"

"Of course not!" he protested, "But it's one thing to be friends and another to be allies in a war. Not feeling among equals can be dangerous in the battlefield you should know that."

"Hai, that is also true." Hotaru bit her lip, she had to come up with someway to raise his trust enough to join the team. The only way was to make him understand that he **was** among equals, and that way meant pain. "If there was at least one of us, who knew what you feel like now, would you join us?"

"I seriously doubt if any of you would, and if she did, she'll have to come up with a really good speech. But if what you say is true, I will join you."

"It's settled then." She stood firmly in front of Carlos. "Search my memories."

"_Qué?_"

"You implied it yourself. Words can't describe it, only feelings. There's a secret locked inside my mind, Carlos-san, I know it's there but I can't recall it. Only your powers can reach it." Carlos was skeptical; still, he raised his hand in order to touch her. Just as he was about to, he noticed that his friend was shivering. He looked into her eyes, she was scared.

"You don't want to do this, do you?"

"Ie, but I also want to help you, no matter what the cost." Her eyes spilt fear, but they also shone with fierce determination.

"Very well. But remember, you asked for it." He placed his hand upon Hotaru's brow, they both shut their eyes and gasped in pain as a deluge of memories came over them.

A house on fire and a mother's death. An explosion and a father losing his soul. A two-faced, cold hearted guardian and cruelty from peers. A sweet little girl with pink odangos and a terrible secret revealed. Carlos opened his eyes and slowly withdrew his hand. He stared at the girl before him with disbelief.

"You were…in you other life, you used to be…"

"A cyborg," she managed to say through sobs, "Like Chris, I used to be a soulless machine. Do you know what it feels like? To have cold metal under your skin, and no warm blood running through your veins?" Carlos couldn't even mutter, he just shook his head. He noticed that Hotaru was smiling, but it was a fake smile. She wanted to act brave but couldn't stop the tears from flowing. Reliving those memories had been much too painful.

"_Demonio_," he cursed, "Hotaru how could you let me do this to you?"

"How can you ask me to abandon you?" the violet-eyed girl retorted gently. She got out of bed and stepped towards him. She held his hands tenderly. "We have too much in common, Carlos-san, it can't be mere coincidence. I trust you, as Navarro Carlos and as Karasu no shi. Please trust me, both as Tomoe Hotaru and as Sailor Saturn." Carlos shook his head, he'd been beaten and he knew it. He raised Hotaru's face and glanced into her amethyst eyes.

"I should've known I couldn't keep you away." That smile that had puzzled him so yesterday, returned to him. "_Gracias, _Hotaru." Hotaru opened her mouth to answer but instead she gasped.

"Ah!" She put her hand against her side and Carlos caught her as she fell.

"Hotaru, what's wrong?"

"I think the painkiller's starting to wear thin," she moaned, "Please, help me back to bed." He did so, slowly as to not hurt her much. Once on the bed he tried to get her to lie down, but she insisted that she could sit up. He put his hand on her torso to appraise the wound.

"Why not use your powers to heal yourself?"

"It would be too tiring to use them this soon after our fight. Besides, even if I did, Setsuna-mama, Michiru-mama and Ami-san would insist that I stay here until I recover completely." She gave a playful giggle. "And personally, I'm rather inclined towards the more restful option."

Carlos grinned. "I'll go find a doctor, see if they can get you anything."

"Matte," Hotaru called out as she held his hand against herself, "There's no need to—I mean, the warmth is making it feel better."

Carlos raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure it's the warmth you're interested in?" Hotaru flushed furiously and tried to hide her head between her shoulders. Carlos held her chin up instead. "Do you know how pretty you look when you blush?"

Hotaru turned away angrily. "Don't lie, there's nothing even remotely pretty about me."

"Says who?"

"The whole world. Just ask anyone and they'll prove me right." Her head was turned forward again.

"They'll only prove to be liars." Her jewel-like eyes blinked as she stared into his dark ones.

"You know," Hotaru began as her frown vanished, "if you look into them for long enough, you have lovely eyes." Without warning she held him in an embrace. "Carlos-san?"

"Er, _sí_?"

"Promise me you won't give up," she asked as she raised her face, "not to yourself or anyone."

"I promise," he replied. Neither teen noticed how close they actually were to each other, nor the fact that they were getting closer.

"Ahem!"

The couple nearly hit the ceiling. They turned to face the door, Carlos swiftly putting on his glasses, to find a crowd of four. Michiru was blushing, her hand unsuccessfully covering a grin though; Setsuna appeared neutral as always, but her eyes displayed disapproval; Reiko was in front of them looking mischievous, oh the fun she would have; and Haruka…

"Get out, Navarro, now."

The pair of dark haired teens didn't quite understand their reactions until they looked down. Then they noticed that all that was covering Hotaru's upper-half were bandages and a brassier! She crossed her arms, though not precisely to cover herself.

"Hey, there was nothing ecchi going on! Besides, I think I'm decent enough."

"Of course there isn't and of course you are," Reiko quipped, "we came in much too early." Hotaru glared at her friend and leaned back into her bed. Carlos raised an eyebrow at the redhead.

"I thought Japanese girls were all shy and withdrawn."

"That's me," Reiko said in a cutesy tone, "the exception to prove the rule."

"Excuse me!" The three kids winced at Haruka's angrier tone. "Didn't you hear me gaijin? I said get out!"

"Haruka-san, please behave," Setsuna scolded, "Carlos-san, we would appreciate a few minutes alone with Hime-chan." Carlos noted that her eyes weren't looking directly at him. He glanced in the same direction, a clock was signaling 11:30.

"I might as well leave then, I do have errands to run." Carlos turned to Hotaru. "I'll come back to visit you later," then he turned to glare at Haruka. "If it's not a problem."

"Not a problem at all, Carlos-san," Michiru said quickly, "Just bring a gift next time, ne?"

"Okay," the undead teen left giving a polite goodbye to nearly everyone. As he walked past Haruka he whispered something, making sure she alone heard. "Cross-dressing _Malinche._"

The sand-blonde didn't know what that meant but she was sure it was an insult. _If only I was alone with him_. Meanwhile, her lover and sister had gone over to greet Hotaru properly.

"Oh, it's so good to see you well, Hime-chan," Michiru said as she hugged her tightly, "However, I would like it if Carlos-san and you would be a little more discreet on your next encounter." Hotaru blushed furiously.

"Michiru-mama, it wasn't like that. We were both just too glad to see each other that we didn't notice what I was wearing, or not."

"He didn't notice?" Reiko inquired, "Or did he conveniently stay silent? He is a guy you know."

"And someone you still barely know." There was a trace of hostility still left in the sand-blonde's voice. "What if he was planning something else besides gawking at you?"

"He wouldn't do that, Haruka-papa, there was no need for you to scare him."

"And what's the matter with you anyway, Haruka?" Michiru asked, "Out of the three of us, you were the one who pushed Hime-chan towards getting a boyfriend the most."

"He's not my boyfriend."

"I told what I saw the other day, ne?" Haruka sighed. "I know I seem too paranoid, but I worry." The four others sighed in sympathy.

"Anyway," the redhead started, "You haven't had breakfast yet, ne Hotaru-chan?" The dark-haired girl shook her head. "I'll go get you something." When Reiko got to the door she met with Mamoru. "Ah, ohayo, Mamoru-san. You come to see Hotaru-chan?"

"Hai. How is she doing today?"

"Oh she is feeling much better," Reiko said as she gave her friend a stare that made her blush yet again, "But beware of Haruka-san, he's a bit edgy thanks to Navarro-sempai. Well, I'm going to the cafeteria. Ja ne."

"Ja ne, Reiko-chan." Mamoru came in and closed the door. "Well Hotaru-chan, you seem almost fully recovered."

"Not fully," Hotaru replied with a kawaii grin, "I will need a bit more rest." She opened her eyes and saw a serious expression on Mamoru's face. She looked around and found it was the same for her parents. "Eto, you didn't come for a cordial visit, ne?"

"Hotaru-chan. As you might recall, I volunteered us to find out about Karasu no shi and try to aid him. Now, what happened to you last night shows that we might have taken too long, but what you did for him shows that there's still a chance."

"I understand," the youngest senshi said, "But why tell me all this?"

"Because of what you know, Hime-chan," Michiru answered, "Karasu's guardian, Kashaku, told us that you know his true identity. And if we know who he is we'll—"

"Be better prepared to assist," Hotaru completed. She took a deep breath and shared a glance with Setsuna. "I'm afraid that's an overstatement. I did notice the marks on his face disappearing, but I was too groggy to distinguish any features. Gomen, but I won't be able to I.D. him."

"Are you sure, Hotaru-chan?" Mamoru asked, "You don't have the slightest idea how he looks like?"

"Ie," the girl sounded sure of herself, "but I do know where his lair is." She started getting up. "We could go there n—Ouch!" Michiru held Hotaru down and Haruka rushed to the bedside.

"Karasu can wait," the sand-blonde stated, "You need to recover first."

"But—"

"No buts, Hime-chan," Michiru warned. She got up. "We have to leave now, but we'll come back later in the afternoon."

"I'll tell the others you're awake," Mamoru offered, "so be ready for all the food Mako-chan is going to bring."

"I'll be sure to skip lunch."

Haruka and Michiru kissed Hotaru goodbye and followed Mamoru outside. Haruka noticed that Setsuna was stalling.

"Setsuna-san, are you coming?"

"I'd like to stay a little longer," the emerald-haired woman responded, "I'm in not much of a hurry anyway." The other girl nodded and left. Hotaru realized that Setsuna hadn't said much during this whole time. This often meant something serious.

"Hime-chan, are you sure you had to do that?" she questioned gravely.

"Do what?"

"Lie to Haruka-san. I understand you had to do it, if she knew the truth, we all know how she'd react." She sat on the bedside. "But this is the first time you ever lied to any of us."

"Unless you count that incident with the cookie jar," Hotaru quipped trying to ease the tension, it didn't work. "(Sigh) I **had** to lie, Setsuna-mama, for both their sakes. Carlos-san is a strong fighter, stronger than you imagine. If Sailor Uranus and Karasu no shi fought, there's a good chance he would win."

"And not much of a chance he'd be able to control his bloodlust," Setsuna deduced, "I just want to know one thing: Did you feel bad at all about lying?"

"Of course I did!" the girl answered with a scowl, "Setsuna-mama, how can you think the contrary?" Setsuna was a bit surprised by her daughter's tone. She was going to say something but the door opened again.

"I got you a sandwich and some OJ," Reiko announced as she charged in. Setsuna looked at the two girls and decided it was best to leave. She gave her good-byes and left.

"Okay, Hotaru-chan. How about we talk about what was happening a few moments ago?" the redhead noticed something amiss about her friend. "Are you okay, Hotaru-chan? You seem a little down."

"I'm all right, Reiko-san, it's nothing to worry about." _It's just that…I didn't feel bad about lying, at all._

Carlos left the building, a moment later Kashaku landed on his shoulder.

"_How is Lady Saturn, Warrior?_"

"She's fine, I guess." The bird tilted his head.

"_May I ask then why you seem so glum?_"

"I'm just upset at _Don Tenoh_. She just comes in and throws me out like a cockroach." He sighed. "I guess I shouldn't really blame her for being angry, considering…"

"_Considering what?_" Kashaku's eyes widened. "_Warrior, what exactly happened up there?_"

"Nothing. At least it started out as nothing." The boy dragged a hand over his face. "We started out talking, then before we knew it… _Dios_, we both know I'm not long for this world. I'm not even from this world! Why am I acting this way then?"

"_I believe you already know the answer, Warrior_," Kashaku opened his wings. "_Now let us haste, the sun is near its zenith, and Ladies Mars and Venus shouldn't be kept waiting._"

"Right." Carlos glimpsed one last time at the hospital. _I really want to be your friend, Hotaru. But now I'm afraid it won't stop at that_.

Kara looked down on the map Allen had placed on his desk. It was beautifully made, it only showed rivers, hills, forests, the way the land should look like if the city of Tokyo had never been built. She saw two spots in it that were highlighted by some runes, but she didn't know where they were since it had no names nor landmarks pointed out. She already had trouble figuring out regular maps.

"Are you ready, Kara?" Allen asked her.

"Yep, this armor Hawkins made is real user-friendly." Kara saw the large gem his lover was carrying. "Is that the thing I have to use against Karasu?"

"Yes, it's the final step of the spell I'm casting, and one has to be close to the target." He sighed. "My love, you know I don't want you in this position but—"

"Hey, this is important for you! You can't rely on those two morons." The mocha-skinned woman took the gem. "I know where we're supposed to go and I remember the trigger command for this stone. Trust me honey, this time you'll see results."

Crow's nest:

"Caw." "Caw."

"This must be the place," Minako guessed.

"Are you translating what the twins just said?" Artemis asked, "Or did you get that from the fact they are perched on the door frame?"

"Lay off the snide, Artemis-kun," Rei said, "it doesn't become you."

The two girls and cat went inside. Even during the day the house still looked frightening, they could only imagine what Hotaru must've felt coming here at night, much less someone actually living here. But of course, Carlos Navarro didn't exactly live.

"Mako-chan would have a ball cleaning up this place," the white cat noted, "Are you sure Carlos-san will show up?"

"It wouldn't be polite to keep two ladies waiting, ne?" the blonde stated, "I'm sure Kashaku-kun will remind him of that."

"Not to mention the fact he owes it to Hotaru-chan. That alone is sure to bring him here." Rei raised an eyebrow at the cat. "Are you nervous Artemis-kun?"

"Hai. You two are asking me to get into the mind of a zombie schizophrenic, the very thought is enough to send chills up and down my tail."

"But you are able to trigger peoples' memories and stuff like that, ne? Just like Luna-chan does."

"Theoretically yes, Mina-chan. Luna-chan and I both took that training, as well as others back on Mau. But what you're asking me to do requires a specialist and I am a bit out of practice." _Not to mention, Luna-chan always got better grades than I._

"So why didn't you say anything last night?" the blonde inquired.

"You think I didn't try?"

"Quiet you two," Rei called out, "I think this is Carlos-san's room."

"How do you know? Oh." The room looked like a combination homemade gym/surplus arsenal. All over the floor they could see the weapons Karasu had acquired during his nightly patrols. Guns, knives and even a slingshot. The most recent additions were the high-tech rifles and explosives he got from the assassins last night. On the walls, were the trademark crow silhouettes, drawn with something they didn't want to recognize.

"Pretty nice decor. Don't you think so, Mina-chan?"

"You know that scene in that Jim Carrey movie? The room full of Dan Marino stuff?" The shrine maiden nodded. "By comparison, that wasn't as scary."

"I know one thing," Artemis said with a frown, "these sort of weapons shouldn't be let lying around so carelessly. Suppose a criminal comes in."

"I don't think Carlos-kun would mind losing a few items," Minako said, "as long as the alleged criminal stays away from that." She pointed towards a wall. Her companions turned and saw a custom made shelf, on it was an item they couldn't identify. Rei went over to take a closer look.

"What is it Rei-chan?" the cat asked.

"A doll." It was handmade out of cloth, charred and blackened. One arm was missing, so were both its eyes, and the little dress was almost gone. The raven-haired maiden could feel the sadness it carried. "For some reason this is important to Carlos-san. I suppose it—"

"It belonged to my sister, Carmela."

The trio turned and saw Carlos standing in the doorway with Kashaku on his shoulder.

"Every time I hold it, I go back to that night. I recall that terror as if it was occurring all over again."

"Then why keep the doll?" Minako asked, "If it causes you so much anguish then you should get rid of it. For that matter, why stay in the place where your loved ones were killed?"

"It fans my hatred towards them," the teen replied darkly, "As for the doll, it was Carmela's greatest treasure." He chuckled. "I laughed at her because she kept that doll so close, now I'm the one who cherishes it the most."

"It's strange how the simplest things gain such enormous value," Artemis commented, "So, Carlos-san, are you ready?"

"You must be Artemis. And no, I'm not quite sure of that. What exactly are we doing?"

"_The inhabitants of Mau have notorious mental abilities, Warrior. It is well known that many suffering of mental unbalance were cured by their practices._" Kashaku tilted his head. "_But I also recall that the females are more adept. Why didn't Lady Luna come?_"

"If she knows there's a chance she will tell Usagi," Rei answered, "And we don't think she should know yet."

"At any rate, let's get this over with." Artemis walked up to the undead teen, "Carlos-san, could you tell me of how you came to be. It will be easier to do this if I know what to expect." Carlos sighed.

"It's not something I'd like to recall, that tale is much too sad to even hear." He toyed a bit with the doll. "But I promised Hotaru I would get help." He motioned for Rei and Minako to take a seat, the twins were also perched on the windowsill, ready to listen. "The story either begins when me and my family arrived here, or when we were about to leave."

One year ago:

Carlos lied on the couch staring at the ceiling. His mother was talking on the phone and his sister, Carmen, was mending some stitches on her doll brought from Mexico. Mother hung up the phone and Carmen ran up to her. "Was that daddy?"

"_Sí_. He just finished the interview with _Señor _Poe." She smiled proudly. "He not only got the job, but a great position."

The thirteen-year-old gave her mother a high-five. "_Qué padre!_"

"Yeah!" Carlos joined in, "We should be staying here for about another month." That comment snuffed out all cheer.

"Just what is that supposed to mean, young man?" mother demanded.

"You know what it means," Carlos responded as he turned his back to her, "Before we know it, we'll be packing our things and moving to who knows where."

Mother sighed and sat next to her son; she placed her hand on his shoulder. "Carlos, honey, I know all this moving has been hard on you. But you'll see, your father talked to me earlier, this time it's for real, we're staying, for good."

"Promises, promises. You sound like a politician."

Mother got up. "That does it! You're going to your room, as a matter of fact, you're grounded."

The boy got up and stomped his way to his room. "Fine! It's not like I'll have the chance to meet people anyway." The door slammed and mother just shook her head sadly.

Carlos was looking out the window when he heard a knock on the door. "Carlos? It's Carmela." Her brother was the only one who called her by that name. "Can I come in?"

"No, you can't," he answered harshly.

"Well that's to bad, 'cause I'm going to anyway," she stated as she barged in. Carlos cursed, he had to remember locking the door. Carmen sat on the bed next to him. "Why do you always have to be so angry, Carlos? You've always said how you like Japan. Heck, besides _mamá_ you're the only one among us who can speak Japanese. I thought you'd be happier."

"Happy? Don't you realize, Carmela? This is just another pit stop for us. As soon as dad finishes his job at that feather company, we'll probably be on our way to China!" He turned away from her. "Now, if you don't mind, I have no wish to chat with my baby sister."

Carmen huffed. "Baby sister? We're only two years apart, Carlos. As we grow older it's becoming less of a difference." She laid down. "Personally, I think it's fun to travel all the time. When I get old I'll have a lot of stories to tell. I mean, how many teenage Mexican girls can say they've been to Japan?"

"Don't you mean: how many teenage girls can say that they have been dragged all over the world in their short life?" Carmen sat up and slapped him in the back.

"Can't you be more positive, _pendejo_?" She only used harsh language when she got upset. She went silent, both of them needed a few minutes to calm down. Carlos lay next to his sister and stared at the ceiling, he started thinking. Ever since they had gotten to Japan he'd been angry, he'd been angry for years! He turned his head to Carmela. Being happy was so easy for her. No matter what happened she would brush it off and keep smiling. Deep down, he really envied her optimism, but he wasn't going to admit it. He glanced towards her hands, she was untangling her doll's hair.

"Playing with that doll? I thought little Carmela didn't like to be called a baby," he mocked.

"Grandma made it for me, remember?" she retorted, "And I have very fond memories of this doll." She held it up and giggled. "Besides, I want to know how to make pretty ones when I give them to my future children." She turned to look at her brother. "This is why I'm always in a better mood than you, Carlos, I keep what important."

"_Órale!_ Words of wisdom from the guru with the dolly!" he exclaimed in a ridiculous display, "Well I don't want to hear them!" He turned away from her. Carmen sat up and pounded on the bed.

"I'm trying to help you here, Carlos." She got no response. "Fine, be that way." She got up and went for the door. Just before she left the room, she spoke to her brother one last time. "I'm your sister, Carlos, your family. I'm here for you now and I'm willing to help you. Soon we'll both be grown ups, then we won't be able to find each other when need be." Carlos just shrugged uninterested, Carmen growled and slammed the door shut.

Kara, Chris and Blaze stood in the middle of a large open area right before the ocean. Kara was wearing her brand new armor. It was an opaque gray so it wouldn't reflect light. It consisted on a breastplate, leg and arm-guards, a helmet with visor and a jet pack. She had experience using those. Chris' cybernetic arms were in plain sight and Blaze had a fireball ready to be thrown.

"It's weird that this place is empty," the cyborg commented, "I thought these people were so efficient they used every possible nook and cranny for something productive."

"I think it has to do with this place's reputation," Kara said, "There used to be a sort of institution on this spot, and one day it blew up. Some say it was a freak accident, a terrorist attack, there's even rumors of an alien invasion. Anyway, they just patched things up and left it alone."

"And I don't blame them," Blaze added, "Even with these powers I feel chills."

"Well I don't feel anything."

"Yeah? I guess it has to do with the fact you're a full blown metal-head."

"Shut up, Blaze."

"Both of you shut up." The dark-haired woman tapped a button on her helmet. "Allen? We're in position. Over."

"_Good, I'll cast the spell. Over and out_."

Chris looked at Kara, "So what now?"

"We wait."

As she listened to Carlos' story, Rei tried to mend the doll as best as she could. What she heard made her think of her own father. His job as a politician made him travel a lot and he thought it would be best for her to stay in one place with her grandfather.

__

If my father had chosen to take me along on his trips, I never would've made friends like Usagi-tachi. Then again, I would probably have a better opinion of him. She wiped away a tear before anyone else could see it. _Sometimes I wonder if I can still remember his face_.

"Don't leave us in suspense, Carlos-kun," Minako pleaded, "What happened next?"

"Next comes the painful part. A while after Carmela left I—" Carlos sat up with a start.

"_What is it warrior?_"

"I don't know. I think I just heard something." He got up and headed for the window. "It's like something's calling my name."

"Matte, Carlos-san," the shrine maiden warned, "If there is something or someone summoning you, it has to be dangerous."

"Maybe it is, _Señorita _Hino," Karasu answered, "But I don't think I have a choice." He jumped out the window.

"_Warrior wait_—Caw!" Kashaku fell to the floor. Deimos rushed over to his side.

"Kashaku-san, what's wrong?" the cerulean sprite asked worriedly.

"_It's my wings they, they just went numb._" He looked up at Rei. "_You are right, Lady Mars, there is something unworldly going on and the warrior is heading for a trap!_"

"I'd say he's **way** a heading," Artemis called from the window, "He's already out of sight, so get going you two!" Both girls nodded.

"Mars crisis power, make up!"

"Venus crisis power, make up!" Sailor Venus picked up the guardian. "Kashaku-kun, can you tell where Karasu's going?"

"_Yes, he is heading towards the north. Swiftly now! He's getting out of range!_"

"Then let's go!" Mars exclaimed. The senshi and the twins flew out the window.

"Matte!" Artemis called out. "Terrific, now I have to follow on foot."

Juban Central Hospital:

"Okay, Hotaru-chan, 'fess up. Did you really didn't notice, or were you trying to tempt him with your looks?"

"Reiko-san, that's something you would have done. And I told you, I'm not interested in forming a relationship that serious with him." Hotaru put another chip in her mouth. "Listen, if you've changed your mind about him, again, go get him, be my guest."

The redhead raised an eyebrow. "Are you certain that you want a girl like **me **to get involved with Carlos-sempai?"

The purple-haired girl hummed. "You know something? You're right. Even that shriveled old hentai we've heard about should be wary of you."

"Why you…" Reiko pulled out the pillow from beneath Hotaru and attacked. For a while, all the violet-eyed girl could do was block, until she was able to grab the pillow and counter. The pillow fight lasted until Hotaru was hit on her wound.

"Ara, gomen nasai, Hotaru-chan! Did I hurt you?"

"Ie, what bothers me is that I forget how hurt I am and this is the only way I'm reminded." _Maybe I **should** heal this._

"Well, changing the subject a little. I've noticed how Carlos-sempai has been changing you."

"Don't you have anything else to talk about?" Hotaru asked in an exasperated tone, "How am I changed?"

"Usually, when we talked I've always managed to turn you beet-red with my comments. Now, you backfire with some clever remark. Also, you're starting to get more defensive during our conversations."

"Really," Hotaru blinked, "I haven't noticed."

"Well, the person it's happening to is the last one to know," Reiko said as she finished her drink, "I actually think it's a good thing. Haruka-san told me once how they used to bully you around at your old school."

"I remember. Perhaps I finally became fed up." Hotaru leaned back. "But why do you think Carlos-san has anything to do with this?"

"Well, the shift has been gradual. But right after you met with Navarro-sempai it seems to have picked up speed." Hotaru pondered on that subject for a while. In truth, she did have a sort of explanation for that, but Carlos' true identity forced her to feign ignorance.

"I guess it has to do with… What was that?"

"What was what?"

"A sound, a sort of calling," the girl began to get up, "I have to go."

"Matte! You're in no condition to go anywhere, you're just hearing things," Reiko said as she held her friend down, "You stay here, I'll get Dr. Mizuno."

"But you don't understand, this—" the violet-eyed girl shut up. Saying something else would mean revealing herself to Reiko, and the redhead wasn't ready for that. "Umm, you're right, Reiko-san, it's probably just my imagination." She laid down. "I just need some rest."

"Okay, but I'm keeping an eye on you," Reiko responded as she sat down. Hotaru cursed mentally, she couldn't use the silent shadow with someone looking directly at her. She looked out the window. _Please, oh please be careful, Carlos-san_.

Blaze kept himself busy juggling. "You know, I'm getting pretty good with these things." The fireballs dissolved. "Is the Karasu going to take much longer?"

"Who knows," Kara answered, "Shinagawa is pretty far away from here, but Karasu is able to move pretty fast."

"We just have to make sure he doesn't surprise us," Chris added, "When he gets here I'm going to make him pay so dearly."

"We were ordered to capture him, Chris," the woman scolded him, "not destroy him. Or do you want to deal with Allen again?"

"Please, don't remind me," Blaze pleaded.

"It might have been bad, but it's nothing compared to what I will do."

The trio turned and found Karasu standing there with his arms crossed. "I'm surprised to find out that it was you guys who called me. You must be profoundly stupid."

"It's all part of a bigger plan honey," Kara responded, "and you are the prize. Drones attack!" A whole swarm flew out of a holographic cloak and hovered above the warrior, who wasn't fazed.

"Okay, you were a little ready, I'll give you that much," Karasu boasted as he drew a gun and his katana. Five skeletons charged he shot two in the eyes, killing them and beheaded the other three.

"Nice moves kid. Now try stopping these." Blaze ran towards Karasu and threw five fireballs. The undead teen just swatted them. "What?"

"You idiot, you forgot to adjust the controls!" Kara shouted as she took to the sky, "Watch a real pro at work." She readied her guns and fired. Karasu was busy with two more drones when he saw the flying armored woman shooting at him. He grabbed one of the drones and used it as a shield. It barely helped, she was packing heavy artillery. The warrior cocked his gun and took aim.

"_Señorita_, prepare to—_qué_?" Whatever caused him to hesitate, Chris took advantage and threw a punch at Karasu's stomach.

"Boy, you're going to regret coming out of your grave," the cyborg roared as he extended his claws and started slashing. Blaze sneaked up from behind and threw flames at the boy's back.

"YOU IDIOTS, WE NEED HIM ALIVE!"

"Shut up you slutty bitch, let the men handle this." Kara growled, she was about to use her ring on those two when she saw Karasu grab both their arms. He slammed them into each other and then threw them away towards attacking drones.

__

Maybe they should act though. The mocha-skinned woman scolded herself, she'd forgotten she was the key to this operation. She took out the jewel Allen had given her and readied a hidden crossbow.

Chris got up slowly. There was a drone talon stuck into his arm but it was still functional. "That kid is going to hurt so bad."

"Not as bad as me," Blaze whined. The cyborg ignored him, noticing Karasu was busy with other drones he made a running attack, extending his claws to greater length. The teen noticed him to late, his arms was about to be slashed off when he felt three new presences.

"Shine aqua illusion!" The water column threw Chris away and slammed him once again onto Blaze. Karasu turned and saw Sailor Moon, Mercury and Jupiter ready for battle.

"Your device didn't work as expected Mercury," Sailor Moon pointed out, "but this is much better."

"Can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm glad to see you guys," Karasu said as he headed over to the trio of senshi, "The bugs are easy to handle but they are bothersome."

"Hey! We didn't come here to fight bugs," Jupiter retorted, "We got here trying to find some answers and one of them is going to give them."

"_Sí_, I know." His voice lowered. "Just remember, Chris is mine."

Sailor Moon stepped forward. "Only those who are inhuman or had their humanity stripped away could stand being in such a place like this just to torment the lost. I am Sailor Moon and in the name of the moon, I will punish you."

"Yeah, whatever." Chris grumbled as he got up. "All drones attack, NOW!" The entire swarm surrounded the four warriors and advanced. They wouldn't accomplish much.

Sailor Moon and Mercury performed a double attack. The water senshi grounded them with her Shabon freezing and the princess blasted them with the crystal power kiss. Sailor Jupiter made use of the humidity in the air to shock a very large group. Karasu no shi assessed the group in front of him, he could have used his power earlier, but he still didn't have much experience using it. Now, with some assistance, he didn't have to worry about something coming from behind.

"Ebon Shears!" The black blades sliced the remaining insects easily. Everyone who had witnessed the attack was left dumb.

"Ara! Where did you learn that?" Sailor Moon asked.

"Last night," Karasu responded somberly, "and I don't want to talk about it," he completed as he ran off. Taking advantage of a stunned Chris, the undead teen charged with a flurry of punches and kicks. His redhead partner tried to send a blast but was tackled by Jupiter. Blaze activated his shield.

"If it isn't Sailor Sparks," he mocked, "Come on sweet, treat me mean."

"Forget it, carrot top," the thunder senshi said through narrow eyes, "Mars warned be about you." Blaze shrugged.

"Oh well, at least you got larger boobies."

"By the Kami, you really are a hentai."

Sailor Moon and Mercury stayed behind and watched the two battles. "Okay, what do we do?" the blonde asked.

"Knowing Karasu, we'd better keep away from him. Our best decision would be to assist Jupiter in restraining the redhead."

"First, deal with me," a voice said. The pair looked up to see what looked like a robot firing at them. They avoided the bullets easily and the water senshi activated her visor. Kara had quickly assessed the situation. Interference from the senshi was something they hadn't planned on. They could easily destroy the jewel and ruin everything, she had to take care of them first. _Besides, those idiots deserve the beating._ She saw the visor the azure-haired senshi was wearing and elbowed her face before she could find any weaknesses, and then turned her attack onto Sailor Moon. Sailor Mercury was on her knees, momentarily blinded. If Kara had struck her a few seconds later, she would have found out something very important.

"Okay creep, Q & A time!" Jupiter shouted as she held Blaze with a neck-choke, "What do you want with Karasu no shi?"

"What? I don't know what you're talking about!"

"Hai, you do!" the senshi said as she increased the pressure, "Many children died because of the monsters you let loose! And I'm going to learn the reason, even if I snap you in half!"

"Hey lady don't blame me, it's the boss who plans everything." He saw something of the corner of his eye. "Besides, you got other things to worry about." The thunder senshi turned and saw Kara striking at her friends.

"Princess!" her grip loosened. Blaze took the opportunity to press a button on his bracelet. Instantly, a blue flame surrounded Jupiter, "YAHH!" Blaze smirked and went over to help Kara.

Chris tried to stab Karasu, the warrior grabbed his arm and thrust it into the ground. He then gave the cyborg a roundhouse kick to the head. "You should really consider warranty, Chris. All those things you buy don't last nothing."

"Just finish it freak! Blaze's jokes are more than enough." Death was certainly better than continuing in Poe's grasp.

Karasu shrugged. "If you're so eager." He put his hands over Chris stomach. "Ebon—"

"_Monsieur Marceau!_" Kara called. The undead teen turned and was struck in the chest by something. He looked up and saw her standing in front of two grounded, but relatively unharmed senshi. Beside her was a redhead Popsicle.

"Next time, shoot something bigger," he retorted. Although he felt strangely warm.

"The big gun's right here," Kara answered as he showed him the jewel. Before Karasu could say anything… "Be bound!"

"YEARGH!" Energy ribbons began to swirl around Karasu! Chris was barely able to get away on time. Sailor Mercury watched with both amazement and terror.

"Ara… What did you do to him?" the water senshi demanded. Kara smirked and became airborne.

"Karasu no shi." The warrior looked up with a blank stare. "Destroy the senshi." Sailor Moon opened her eyes to see a black katana heading towards her.

Quoth the raven:

I have decided to refer to my notes by this title from now on.

The verses at the beginning of this chapter are part of a song from a Mexican rock group named "Maná". The translation is as follows:

Say cuckoo, poppa's left

Turn on the light, I feel afraid

Say cuckoo, poppa's left

Turn on the light and turn off time.


	13. Death and Rebirth 13

****

Death and Rebirth

Chapter thirteen:

Juban Central Hospital:

Hotaru was really worried. Up to a few minutes ago, she had sensed something wrong was happening to Carlos. Now she felt nothing, as if someone had yanked a plug in her head. She had tried to sneak away but Reiko was unusually attentive today. All she could do was wait and hope.

Karasu no shi was just a couple of feet away from decapitating Sailor Moon! Lucky for her, a row of roses appeared between the two, stopping the warrior.

"You're under a trance, Karasu!" Tuxedo Kamen yelled as his cane intercepted the black katana, "Snap out of it!" The undead teen said nothing, with a blank stare, he began the duel.

Chris watched the encounter from a safe distance, he pressed an area just behind his right ear. "_Are you sure about this, Kara?_" That transmission device Hawkins had installed felt weird. "_We were ordered to take the kid back to the compound immediately._"

"I know," Kara answered into her communicator, "But Allen wasn't counting on the senshi. And besides, rubbing them out of the picture will certainly help us."

"_I guess_," the cyborg agreed, "_but I would've enjoyed some quality time with those scouts._" Kara face-faulted.

Sailor Moon watched anxiously as her prince fought. True, she hadn't seen Karasu in action much, but she could tell that the trance had diminished his fighting skills somewhat. "Mercury, can you figure out a way to release Karasu from whatever's holding him?"

"I'm afraid not," Mercury responded, "That woman damaged my visor severely. I'd have to turn back and henshin again in order for it to work properly." The princess sighed in defeat. She had considered using the ginzuishou, but had no idea whether it would destroy the boy or not. Then she realized there was one senshi who could probably do something. She activated her communicator to find out that said senshi was already on her way. Sailor Moon didn't waste time wondering over the coincidence, she was too glad to.

Sailor Jupiter tried to jump-kick Karasu but was grabbed by her ankle and thrown away. The warrior had lost part of his skill but not his strength, plus, Blaze's scorching had taken a lot out of her. She helped Tuxedo Kamen back to his feet, who had crashed beside her a moment ago.

"I just hope he's unable to use that technique of his, otherwise we'll be in real trouble." The prince glanced at the drone-frappe around and silently agreed. Karasu took a swing with his weapon, this time Kamen intercepted and countered with a kick.

"What we should be worried about is what these people are planning to do with Karasu." He looked yonder at Chris and figured out he was the answer to this dilemma. Kara had conveniently kept herself out of sight. "This is going to require teamwork. Jupiter, hold Karasu down after I anchor him!" The thunder senshi didn't quite understand but nodded. Tuxedo Kamen made a high-jump towards the warrior, his cane extended and went through the undead teen, pinning him to the ground, not a sound came from his dark lips. The prince landed and charged towards the cyborg, blinding him with rose petals and finally tackling him down.

"Release Karasu, now!" he commanded.

"I don't take those kind of orders, pretty boy," Chris replied as he picked himself up, "Besides, it's the boss who mixes up all that voodoo shit." He extended his claws, "But you'll have no chance of meeting him!" and attacked. Kamen sidestepped and raised his arm, then brought down his elbow upon the cyborg's skull. The result backfired, he didn't consider the metal plate. "Ha, you'd think you'd knock me unconscious? Guess again." He grabbed Kamen from behind and sent a small but painful electric surge through his body. "I know the meatball-head is your favorite, pretty boy," Chris mocked, "But don't worry, the gang and I will take very good care of her after you're—GAHH!"

"Caw!" "Caw!" The twins pecked into the back of Chris' neck then flew off before he could counter. The prince felt his grip loosen and got away quickly.

"Damn it!" he cursed as he swatted the air, "I don't care what the boss said, I'm going to grab that kid and—" A wave of negative energy surged through the area, and this time he could feel it through all his circuits. He turned to look at the source and, for the first time in many days, shivered.

Kara surveyed all of the action from up above. Sailor Moon and Mercury hadn't gotten to their feet for some reason, maybe this armor was stronger than she expected; Blaze was still frozen, the worthless moron; and Karasu no shi was giving Sailor Jupiter and Tuxedo Kamen a hard time. She watched in amazement as Karasu was skewered, and the fact that he didn't even peep chilled her. Jupiter ran over to keep him still but didn't have much luck, oh well. The mocha-skinned woman placed her attention on Tuxedo Kamen and Chris. The former tried to knock the latter out but ended up injuring his arm. Kara pouted, it was really a shame for such a handsome man to die, especially at the hands of that pig. Then she felt something in her hand start to vibrate, she took a look at the crystal and discovered that it was shimmering wildly. She turned her eyes back towards Karasu and saw another senshi.

As soon as Tuxedo Kamen landed, Sailor Jupiter sprinted towards the impaled Karasu, planning to keep him still until everything was resolved. However, having a cane through him didn't seem to affect the warrior at all. He backhanded Jupiter away then broke the cane with a karate chop. The thunder senshi stumbled back but didn't fall. She came forward once more, only to see a gun barrel aiming between her eyes. She heard it cock, _chikuso_.

"Rin, pyou, tou, sha, kai, jin, retsu, sai, zen. Akuryou taisan!" Sailor Mars chanted as she placed the seal. Venus grabbed her brunette friend and pulled her away as the bullet zinged past them!

"Go on, get out of here while you've got the chance!" Mars shouted.

"We're not letting you face him alone!" the blonde replied.

"Don't worry the seal should—" A guttural grumble silenced her. The trio looked up and began to back away as the undead warrior reached up with difficulty and tore the paper seal from his face. The fire senshi was stunned for a second, then quickly went into a battle stance, the others followed suit. But instead of resuming his attack, Karasu just stood there shaking from fury.

"I…I…" Karasu tried to speak. Countless thoughts and memories swirled uncontrolled in his head. Seeing that the seal was off, Kara tried to regain control.

"Karasu, destroy the senshi!" The warrior roared in response, he felt as if his head was about to explode. The command tore through his skull like a white-hot iron. It hurt, but he tried to get his head in order. It wasn't working, the chaos was too great to be harnessed. Until he came up to one particular thought.

"I…PROMISED HER!"

The jewel that Kara was holding shattered and an explosion surrounded Karasu no shi. The senshi trio was blasted away and had their fall broken by Sailor Moon and Mercury who had approached to help. Everyone present, heroes and villains witnessed as waves of dark energy could be seen forming a vortex around the undead warrior. When it was over, Karasu was breathing heavily and everyone was stunned.

The first to react was Kara, she dove and fired four times; two hit Karasu on the chest, one shattered the ice in which Blaze was trapped and the final one got Tuxedo Kamen's arm. She zoomed by the redhead picking him up, while Sailor Moon ran over to aid her husband and Chris made his getaway.

"Mamo-chan! Are you all right? Please say you are, please!" the princess begged through tears.

"I'm fine, Usako, it's just a flesh wound," Kamen replied as he changed into Chiba Mamoru, "What about Karasu? He took it worse than me."

"I'd say he's fine," Makoto deadpanned, "He's already gone."

"Well anyway," Usagi said, "At least we've learned that it's him these people are after. They failed now and we have to make sure they do so again next time." She turned towards the shrine maiden. "Rei-chan, think you can talk some sense into him? Next time we meet him that is."

"I don't know, Usagi," Rei answered, "I don't think it was the seal what caused that. But I'll talk to Setsuna-san and give it a shot." She turned to Minako. "Wanna come along, Mina-chan?"

"Huh? I thought we—" Minako then noticed her friend's glimpse, she followed her line of vision. "Hai, I'll come with you. I'm sure Setsuna-san will come up with a good plan."

"Ahem."

"No offense, Ami-chan."

"None taken. And as for you," the azure-haired girl said to Mamoru, "We better treat that wound before it does turn into something serious."

"As you command, Dr Mizuno," he joked. A quick planning, short good-byes and each group went their way.

In the meantime, Allen Poe was getting ready for another encounter with Setsuna Meioh. The multi-million dollar corporation was quite important to his schemes, and obtaining good contacts such as the young astronomer, was very important. Although his interest in Setsuna was quite a particular one.

"Meioh-san has arrived, Sir," the usher announced.

"Send her in," Poe ordered as he checked some last details in his appearance.

"Konnichiwa, Poe-san," Setsuna greeted with a bow, "I'm glad to make your acquaintance once more."

"Likewise, I've heard that you and your colleagues are already making great advancements in your field of investigation."

"Hai, we even held a small celebration. Which you were invited to I believe."

"Yes, unfortunately my duties overweighed my desire to attend. And speaking of festivities," Poe picked up an envelope from a nearby desk, "this is for you." The emerald-haired woman took it warily and opened it. It was and invitation to 'Darks Feather's' anniversary in three days. "I already invited you over the phone, this written version will confirm it to the ushers. You can bring along anyone you wish, friends or family." With a grin he added: "Up to ten, it may seem otherwise but I'm not made out of money."

Setsuna raised an eyebrow, the number of people seemed too much of a coincidence, but she dismissed that. "Domo arigato, Poe-san. But you could have just mailed it instead of going through the trouble of handing it personally." She glanced out through the glass pane. "Especially at a sumo match."

Indeed, both were inside the VIP box of an arena. By the somewhat dark ambiance, the former gate-guardian could deduce Allen Poe owned it.

"It is a martial art I've become quite fond of," he explained as he offered a seat, "Let me explain the reason. Each round lasts nearly half an hour, ceremony, rice-tossing and all that. The real action, takes only a few seconds and that's when the winner is chosen." He neared the window. "History has proven it, no matter how long an event takes or how much planning you put into a scheme, it is the final moment that determines victory." Both of them watched the match take place. The judge gave the signal and the two wrestlers tackled each other. The encounter was quite exciting, but just as Poe had said, very short. "What will happen in the end? That is the question that goes through the combatants' minds, through anyone's mind. I have worked hard to get where I am now, Miss Meioh, and I can assure you, in the end I will not lose." Setsuna couldn't help the chill down her spine at the tone his voice was acquiring, nor jump a little when a creepy tune came out of his belt. "My cell-phone," he explained, "Yes?… What!? How?" Allen growled and clenched his chest. "No, go to the compound and I'll meet you there!" Suddenly he went into a coughing fit.

"Poe-san, are you all right?" Setsuna rushed over to help but was shoved away violently. It took a while until Poe regained composure.

"Something important has come up. I'm sorry but I must leave right away."

"Hai. Is there any way I can help?" the emerald-haired woman offered.

"No, thank you. This isn't the first time I've had to deal with a crisis." The door opened. "The usher will escort you outside. Good day, Miss Meioh." Setsuna bowed and left. Poe slammed his fist onto the table and took a few deep breaths. The final moments are what matter, the problem is you never know which moment is final.

In an alley not far from the battlefield, Carlos Navarro was recovering from whatever he just went through. Kashaku and Artemis were with him. The bird kept a sharp lookout for the twins' return. Both animals talked amongst themselves, since their human companion was in a very nasty mood.

"Do you think he'll be all right?" Artemis asked, a bit more nervous than worried.

"_It is hard to tell, Sir Artemis_," the guardian responded, "_Many warriors have been dominated in such fashion in the past, and very few have managed to regain self-control. And we must keep in mind that he is a warrior unlike many others_."

"Tell me about it. If he managed to keep Tuxedo Kamen and Sailor Jupiter at bay under a trance, I don't want to imagine what he fights like normally."

"_Neither do I. By the way, Sir Artemis, I happened to sense something queer about the area where the encounter took place. As if the dimensional threads had been…ripped_."

"Hai, and there is a reason for it," the cat explained, "That place was where Mugen Gauken school used to stand. It was the sight of the sailor senshi's, more precisely, Sailor Saturn's fight against Pharaoh 90."

"_You mean that is where he was defeated?_" the bird asked in amazement, "_And by Lady Saturn?_" That sort of news was known among many people in the universe. Only the whereabouts and person responsible for Pharaoh's demise had remained a mystery.

"She was the best one for the job at the time." Artemis gave a sniff. "Well, it seems Mina-chan has finally decided to arrive."

"Caw." "Caw."

Carlos looked up at the twins, and then at Rei and Minako as they approached. "Copycats."

"And we're glad to see you too," the shrine maiden quipped, "Seriously, how do you feel?"

"Like new-year's hangover," the boy replied groggily, "What the hell did that armored bitch use on me?"

"Magic obviously," Artemis said, "You're lucky I'm such a good tracker, otherwise you would've ended up a puppet."

"_Sí, gracias._ So what now?" he asked to no one in particular.

"Now," Minako answered, "we hide you away for a few days."

"_Qué?_" Carlos replied in an insulted tone, "I am Karasu no shi, and I don't cower or hide from anyone just like that. Especially not from a couple of _pendejos_ like Chris and Blaze."

"_Hear her out, Warrior,_" Kashaku warned, "_Remember how I suspected a mage's hand at work? Well, now it's confirmed, and none of us knows how to handle something like that._"

"Okay, okay," Carlos said annoyed, "I guess _Señorita_ Hino could come with us to the nest and stick around some of her paper thingies."

"They're mystic seals!" Rei corrected in an annoyed tone.

"And heading back to your place isn't such a good idea," the blonde added, "Look, they've sent armed commandos first, and now they called you up with a spell. Staying at that creepy place of yours is an open invitation for more trouble."

"I would hope so, I want to get this vengeance thing over with as soon as possible." The boy sighed defeated. "But you're right. What do you suggest, _Señorita _Aino?"

"That you stay at Rei-chan's."

"_Qué?_" "Caw?"

"Nani? Why me of all people?"

"There are several reasons, Rei-chan," the blonde explained with a cheerful wink, "It has to be with someone who knows Carlos-kun's identity, it's way too soon for him to stay with Hotaru-chan—"

"Hey!" Carlos protested, but the self-named cupid went on.

"Your wards should keep him safe from any more magic and being at your place is very relaxing. Carlos-kun could use that."

"_I agree on that, Lady Venus. What do you say, Lady Mars?_"

"I'm not sure," Rei replied as she bit a fingernail, "There won't be any trouble keeping you a secret from the others, not with your abilities, and there is plenty of room at the temple."

"Don't worry about accommodations, I don't sleep," the boy said with an assuring tone, "And I don't need to eat either so don't worry about food either."

"And there's another pro!" Minako beamed, "You don't even have to worry about money."

"I may be careful about economy," Rei huffed, "But I'd also like to be considered a good hostess!" The blonde giggled mischievously while the undead teen and the animals chuckled, all of which didn't help the maiden's humor. "Che, I guess he is invited to stay. What do you say, Carlos-san?"

"I don't really agree to this, but if Hotaru were here I'm sure she'd convince me to do so." He gave a firm nod. "It's a deal."

"Great!" Minako exclaimed, "You two go to the temple and I'll inform Setsuna-san and Hotaru-chan."

"Mina-chan, if you don't mind I'd like to go with them," Artemis requested, he really enjoyed his conversations with the guardian. "How are your wings, Kashaku-san?"

"_A little better, thank you, Sir Artemis. But not enough to fly I'm afraid_."

"Then I'll carry you," Rei said as she picked him up. _I just hope Phobos-chan and Deimos-chan don't feel jealous._ "Are you ready to go, Carlos-san?" But he was already gone.

"He never seems to grow tired of that," Minako observed. "If you're listening, Carlos-kun," she said out loud, "while you're staying at Rei's, make sure you knock before entering a room." She ran off before Rei could retort.

"_What did Lady Venus mean by that warning?_"

"Never mind."

Whirlpool compound:

Allen Poe was out of his business attire and once again wearing a cloak and hair undone. Kara, Chris and Blaze stood before his desk awaiting the worst. Their leader waited a while before finally speaking.

"Tell me, in as few words as possible, how did the Karasu manage to break free."

"It's my fault Allen," Kara began, "The sailor senshi were there and I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to test Karasu in—"

"HOW DID HE BREAK FREE?" Poe exploded.

"Sailor Mars used a seal," the dark-haired woman answered with her voice shrunk. Poe sank into his chair.

"I did take Sailor Mars' abilities into consideration, she shouldn't have been able to vanish my spell."

Blaze sneezed. "Maybe the sailor chicks are stronger than you thought boss." Both lovers shot icy stares at the redhead. "Shutting up." Another sneeze.

"I'm tired," Poe announced after a short moment, "leave."

"What, you're not going to give us failures a lesson?" Chris asked with snide.

"Not even melting your implants into needles, heating them white-hot and shoving them into your eyes would make me feel better. Leave."

The cyborg may have been a bastard, but he wasn't stupid. He left while he still had the chance, his two companions following closely. Just as she was about to go through the door, Kara came to a halt.

"Allen, I just thought of something that might make you feel better."

"Look for someone out on the street, Kara, I'm really not in the mood."

"For once, that's not what I'm thinking," the woman huffed. "I heard Karasu shout out something as the jewel blew up. 'I promised her', he said." Allen raised an eyebrow. "It's not much, but it might be something," she said as she finally left the room.

Allen Poe took a deep breath and recited a mantra. He had to get to the Karasu somehow, he'd come too far! Then he remembered something from Chris' and Blaze's field-test and added it to what his lover had just said. Allen jumped up and pressed the button on the intercom. "Hawkins, get my contacts at the police. We've got some investigation to do." He dropped back into the chair cackling. "Karasu no shi, I do believe you've made yourself a terrible weakness."

Shigeru rechecked the budget he'd just planned. There was very little chance of Seiryu getting back on its feet, so he and Makoto had decided to quit altogether. And in his book, this meant times of strife. Sure his job at that restaurant was steady and he could easily get another job as a teacher soon, plus his Mako-chan had a large savings account. But it always helped to be wary. He heard the door open and saw his fiancée enter.

"Did you have any luck using Ami-san's program?" he asked.

"Not the kind of luck we were expecting," the brunette answered, "we ran into Karasu no shi and his opponents." She went on to relate the entire incident. Once she was done, Shigeru's face buried into his hands.

"Mako-chan, sometimes I don't know whether it would be better to wonder where you disappear to, or to worry what you could be facing as a senshi."

"And I'm glad that you decided to stay after all that was revealed. I couldn't stand the idea of you leaving me." They shared a long, loving kiss. When they broke it off, the brunette glimpsed at the papers on the coffee table. "Andre-chan, you're not still worried about money are you?"

"It doesn't hurt to do so. Besides, we want to save enough to get that flower shop of yours."

"Our flower shop," Makoto corrected.

"Yours," Shigeru insisted, "you know that I can even make weeds whither." The tall brunette shook her head. The phone rang and she went over to pick up. While he waited, Shigeru picked up a piece of paper, this one had nothing to do with money though.

"That was Setsuna-san, she's just gotten the written invitation for the 'Dark Feather' celebration and she's letting everyone know. Better get your best tie ready."

"Actually," Shigeru said in an apologetic tone, "I was meaning to tell you something. The restaurant I work at got commissioned to prepare the food at that event."

"Nani?" Makoto whined, "You mean we'll have to work while everyone else has fun?"

"Ie, you're safe. The head-chef didn't let me bring you along to the job, so you can have all the fun you want with Usagi-tachi."

"It's not going to be fun if you're not there," the brunette complained as she latched herself onto him. "I guess Setsuna-san will only bring along nine people instead of ten." Her eyes suddenly lit up, "Unless we can get Hotaru-chan a date! Andre-chan, you still have those papers regarding her sempai, ne?"

"Hai," he showed her the paper he'd picked up a moment ago, "but it won't do any good. I've searched high and low, and I just can't seem to locate his parents or even his address. I tell you Mako-chan, it's like the _bambino _just came out of nowhere." Shigeru looked at his love straight in the eye. "Are you sure those two should get involved with one another?" Makoto rested her head upon his chest before answering.

"A few years ago I would've been as sure as a child could be. Now that I've met you, I know I'm truly sure. They're meant for each other, just like Usagi and Mamoru, Michiru and Haruka…" She pecked him on the nose. "You and me."

"I guess I should take your word for it." Shigeru rubbed Makoto's back for a while, just enjoying her company. "I just realized, this is the first afternoon off we have together and we don't have any plans."

"Hai. What do you want to do?" She looked up and saw a familiar gleam in his eyes. "Hmm, sound good to me," she cooed.

Outers' Manor, after sunset:

Haruka was sitting on the couch staring at nothing, on her hand she held a drink that had hardly been touched. Her eyes revealed worry and her head was boggled, this is how Michiru found her.

"Do you want to talk about what's bothering you?" the aqua-haired girl asked her love. She sat down beside her.

"I'm afraid to do so," Haruka answered quietly after a while, "Afraid that you'll get angry at me again."

"I'll admit I was mistaken to treat you that way," Michiru replied, "But angry or not, I care for you. Now tell me what's wrong."

"All right, it's about Hime-chan and Navarro being together."

"Oh that," Michiru said recalling the way they found those two this morning, "We can't really scold Hime-chan for acting that way. Not with the example we give her."

"It's not that. It's what Navarro told me earlier." Michiru sat up to listen. "He told me that I couldn't always be there to protect her, and her encounter with Karasu proved his words." She dropped her head into her hands and let the glass fall on the floor. "Some sailor senshi I am."

"We are not perfect," Michiru told her love, "No matter how hard we try, there will be times when we fail." She lifted the sand-blonde's face. "But Hime-chan succeeded, she made Karasu no shi witness his own madness and saved him from it."

"And it nearly cost her life!" Haruka exclaimed, "How can I be calm knowing that? Not to mention that hentai gaijin, who always seems to make his way close to her. And the worst part is that she naïvely let's him have his way—" She was silenced by a finger on her lips.

"Hotaru-chan is a smart girl, and she's a lot stronger than we give her credit for. If she feels so at ease with Carlos-san, we should trust her." Her expression turned serious. "And regarding Karasu, it will be very hard considering what he did, but I will still take my chances and trust him." Michiru went quiet and awaited an answer.

"Why can't I think the same way as you two?" Haruka sighed. "Look, I'll do my best to control myself next time I see him, for Hime-chan's and your sake, deal?"

"Deal," the violinist replied cheerfully, "And if it's not too much trouble, try to accept the idea of Carlos-san becoming her friend."

"All right, all right," Haruka replied grumpily, "Just don't ask me to like it." Michiru giggled and laid her head on Haruka's shoulder.

"Well, I'm glad to see you two making up with each other," Setsuna said as she entered, "But why that face, Haruka-san?"

"Hime-chan and Carlos-san," Michiru told her. The mocha-skinned woman nodded. "Well, better start making dinner. Maybe I'll make Hime-chan's favorite and take some to the hospital tomorrow." She went into the kitchen.

"And I have some paperwork to do," Setsuna lied. The truth was: Minako, who said she had new information concerning Carlos Navarro, had paged her. Setsuna was going to call the blonde from upstairs.

"Matte, Setsuna-san," Haruka called out as she got up from the couch, "Do you know what a _mah-leen-cheh _is?" She wanted to know exactly how badly she'd been insulted.

"Malinche was an Aztec princess during the time of Mexico's conquest at the hands of Hernán Cortez," the emerald-haired woman answered, recalling events she had witnessed, "She was a key element for his victory, and eventually became his wife. Today, Mexicans use her name as an adjective for people who prefer foreign things to what's national. Why do you ask?"

"No reason, it's just a word I heard somewhere." Setsuna nodded and made her way upstairs. Haruka stood there thinking. _Malinche, a princess who betrayed her people after being dazzled by a man who offered her greater power. _That story sounded familiar to her, painfully familiar. Carlos Navarro should've considered himself lucky that the racer was feeling too depressed to put the pieces together.

Hikawa shrine:

The report the newscast was showing at the moment was not a pretty sight.

"_Terror strikes Juban once more. Two teenage girls were found dead this afternoon in their own apartment. The police have no leads onto who or how many people committed this atrocity. Our sources reveal that a stabbing weapon killed the victims and that they also showed third degree burns._" Rei managed to catch the teacup just before it hit the screen.

"I don't watch television much, Carlos-san. But I would appreciate if you didn't smash it to pieces."

"_Perdón._" Carlos stood there breathing heavily and trying to vent away his anger. He went to the nearest wall and slammed his hands onto it. "Chris and Blaze killed those girls, and it happened last night. I could have stopped them, but no, I was much too busy thinking about my own problems to do something. I was too busy hurting Hotaru!" He took a few more deep breaths in order to calm down. Minako had been right, the atmosphere in this place was helping him a lot. Rei wanted to say something to help him, but no appropriate words came to mind. Lucky for them both, the undead teen looked up and saw something that would take his mind off the matter. "School photo?"

"Hai," the priestess said as she approached. "T. A. Academy for girls."

"You're a Shinto priestess and you attended a catholic school?" Carlos asked as he noticed a pair of nuns, "How did you come up with that combination?"

"My father did actually, he chose that school for me. It did seem awkward at first, but learning about the beliefs of other cultures helped me to better understand my own." Carlos said nothing, he gave a low grumble and went outside to sit on the corridor. Sensing that something was obviously wrong, the raven-haired girl sat down beside him. "Earlier you said that you were an atheist," she reminded him, "Is that true?"

"_Sí_," Carlos deadpanned, "Up until now, I've seen no evidence of anyone up there watching over and taking care of us. And if there is, he's doing a pretty lousy job if you ask me."

"Well, we don't see divine intervention daily," Rei responded, "but there are a lot people already taking care of humanity. Police, firefighters, doctors, teachers…" She turned to the boy. "Even people like you and me."

"But why me?" Carlos asked angrily, "Where is it written that my family was the one that had to be murdered and I had to become Karasu no shi?" He banged his fist on a column. "Of all the people in the world, why did it have to be me?" He was very surprised and upset to hear a chortle come from Rei. "What the hell is so funny?"

"Gomen nasai, Carlos-san, but I couldn't help finding such a coincidence to be funny." The black-haired boy raised an eyebrow and the girl explained. "Four years ago, I was sitting on that same spot and asking myself the same question." She looked up to the stars. "Why me of all people? Why do I get to be stuck working with a brainless odango-head? Why do I have to take part in a war I've never heard of? As time went by, I realized that we cannot be given a choice, otherwise there would be no heroes." Seeing that Carlos was getting more puzzled, she continued. "If someone had told you what you would become, describing all the pros and cons. Would you have accepted?"

Carlos thought carefully before answering. "Considering the added strength and near invulnerability, I would've said yes. Although the idea of being a living dead would surely have made me think twice."

"And your answer would've been no, ne?" Rei guessed, "All power comes with a great price, that's why we aren't allowed to choose. If we knew what we had to sacrifice, we would have never become what we are now, and this planet would have become a barren wasteland a long time ago."

Carlos kept quiet for a moment, he got up and walked over to the center of the garden. "What you're saying is, it doesn't matter who becomes a crow or a senshi. What matters is, there **has **to be one." Rei nodded. "But that doesn't explain why it had to be me!" He turned his back towards her and began a kata.

Rei shook her head sadly, there was still too much anger and confusion in him. Part of her understood this, she could still remember what she felt like shortly after becoming Sailor Mars, and she was even younger. She watched as Carlos threw punches and kicks into the air with fierceness. "Are you going to stay out here a while?" No response. "Okay, just try not to make too much noise while everyone else sleeps. And don't even think about sneaking away, I don't want to face an upset Hotaru-chan," she warned with a wink which the undead boy didn't notice. "Good night, Carlos-san," the priestess sighed.

"_And he met his end within the flames, the same way as he had condemned so many others with no more excuse than his superstition and ignorance. As the warrior watched the murdering priest burn, she recalled happier moments with her husband and children. Moments that would have continued if it hadn't been for him. She returned to the netherworld with her vengeance satisfied, but saddened because she realized because what she did would not return that happiness_," Kashaku finished the tale, one of a female crow that had existed in the middle ages. All four animals were up in a tree, the twins in their sprite form. Artemis gulped when the story ended.

"That was, uh, quite a tale, Kashaku-san," the white cat commented.

"_It is one of the most requested by listeners back at Coronis_." The guardian narrowed his eyes. "_As well as one of the most cheerful ones_."

"Then I'm turning in," Phobos said, "Otherwise you'll tell another and I'll have nightmares for weeks. Are you coming, Deimos-chan?"

"I'll stay here a little longer," the blue sprite replied, "There's something I want to ask guardian Kashaku. Goodnight, onee-chan."

"Err, hai, goodnight." Phobos changed and flew off, but only up to a branch a short distance away.

"_What did you mean to ask of me, Lady Deimos?_"

"It's nothing really, just a little favor." She shifted her position a little closer to her guest. "I've been meaning to ask you, Guardian Kashaku. Could you teach my sister and I how to use telepathy again?"

"_Teach? Is that the reason you keep changing your forms in order to communicate?_" He looked down to see his ward and Rei Hino talk.

"They forgot how to talk with their mind after being reborn in this time," Artemis said without thinking. Deimos giggled and blushed, Phobos dug her talons into the branch wishing it was Artemis' back.

"Besides," Deimos added, "as sprites we have to remain hidden, which is quite uncomfortable. And changing forms so often can get tiring."

"_I don't know how good a teacher I am, Lady Deimos, but I'll try my best. And speaking of tired_." The guardian yawned. "_I know the evening in young and that I might disappoint you, but I better turn in_."

"We all should," Artemis agreed, "I wouldn't know how to explain it to Luna-chan if I became too tired tomorrow."

"I guess," the blue sprite sighed. She noticed Kashaku was simply taking a more comfortable position while still perched. "Are you going to sleep out in the open, Guardian Kashaku?"

"_I always do_," the bird replied.

"Our birdhouse is over there," Deimos offered, "Princess Mars built it for us, I know you'll like it."

"_Ah,_" Kashaku glanced at the small looking structure and imagined the reduced space inside, "_it, umm, looks as if it would be a bit cramped in there_."

"Don't worry, I'm sure onee-chan won't mind it getting a little crowded. It will even feel cozier that way." The sprite blushed brightly when she realized what she had implied, Phobos face-faulted and fell off her branch. Artemis tried his best not to snicker.

"_I think it would be better if I slept outside. I do prefer it this way,_" Kashaku said as politely as he could.

"Umm, hai, as you wish, Guardian Kashaku," Deimos replied as she turned into a crow. Before flying away, she paused a bit and wondered why Kashaku gave out a breath of relief.

"Better be careful, Kashaku-san," Artemis warned, "If I know Rei-chan well, you could upset her a lot. Kashaku-san?" Kashaku was looking down upon his ward, who was now in the yard exercising.

"_I'm sorry, Sir Artemis. You were saying?_"

"You're worried about Carlos-san, ne?"

"_Yes_," Kashaku answered, "_I can feel his anger and confusion, but I can also feel that he hasn't given up, and it is my duty keep it that way_." He shook his head. "_But I ask myself: will I be able to do it?_"

"Of course you will," Artemis assured him, "Luna-chan read something to me once, that because they can fly, birds have always been a symbol of hope. Carlos-san is not going to lose his, I know this because none of us is going to let him." Kashaku raised his head and stared at Artemis, he saw determination in his blue eyes, but also a valuable offer.

"_Thank you, Sir Artemis_," he said simply. The white cat just nodded and climbed down. Kashaku looked down upon his ward once more. "_Despite all the mistakes we have committed in the past, things will be better for the warrior tomorrow_," he swore to the stars with fierce determination, "_I will make sure of that_."

Quoth the raven:

Although many people see Malinche as a traitor, this is not entirely true. She was given off as a slave to Cortez, and had no choice in the matter, although she did learn to love him and he became loyal to her.

She convinced Cortez of using negotiation instead of violence, thus saving many lives. And she helped introduce Christianity into Mexico, ending the custom of human sacrifices.

I encourage you to learn more about the history of prehispanic Mexico, as well as from your own country.


	14. Death and Rebirth 14

****

Death and Rebirth

Warning: Part of this chapter may seem too violent and graphic for some readers. Discretion is advised.

Chapter fourteen:

Whirlpool compound:

"Mr. Poe, Sir, this is completely illogical, inefficient and irrational!" Hawkins ranted, "There must be thousands of teenage girls with short, black hair in the city of Tokyo and we don't even have a name. Finding the right one will take years to accomplish."

"And it will take a lot longer if you don't start working on it Hawkins," Allen Poe replied calmly, "I don't require specific results, all I need are addresses. And it's not that large an area to search, we only have to cover Juban and Shinagawa."

"But it will still be—" The mad doctor was silenced with a glare.

"Just follow the established parameters and concentrate the first search on Juban, I know we'll find her there." Poe adjusted his tie and went outside. Hawkins shook his head and turned on a large monitor. On it, he could see an unfocused picture of a young girl. It was practically nothing to work on, but Poe would not be convinced otherwise. Grumbling, the doctor sat down on the computer and began to gather data, he was too scared to disobey.

Hikawa shrine, morning:

Rei Hino swept the autumn leaves away from the entrance, she liked to keep a tidy appearance, whether people came or not. And today there would be company, the maiden heard footsteps and looked up. She saw Setsuna, Minako and Hotaru approach.

"Ohayo, minna-san," she greeted, "What brings you here so early?"

"Carlos-san," Setsuna replied, "After what Mina-chan told us last night, Hime-chan became anxious to come see him."

"Which helps explain what she is doing out of the hospital," the blonde pointed out, "I thought you weren't going to use your powers."

"I wasn't until I heard what had happened. And I didn't heal completely, just enough for Dr. Mizuno to let me out," Hotaru put her hand on her side, "still feels a bit sore though."

"Anyway, come inside," Rei offered, "I'm sure Carlos-san will be glad to see you."

"Don't forget to—"

"Quiet Minako!"

Rei led her friends towards the guestroom, where she was expecting to find Carlos. Instead, they found him exercising at the yard where he'd been left last night. The boy had taken off his coat and shirt in order to move more comfortably. His build was deceptively lean, and he threw punches and kicks with such fierceness, one would think he was trying to break the air in half.

"I'd say that workout is doing Carlos-kun a lot of good, ne Hotaru-chan?" Minako teased. The violet-eyed girl just blushed. She wasn't going to say it, but for a moment there she was beginning to stare at his friend's muscle tone.

"Exercising again so early?" Rei asked, ignoring the blonde.

"Still exercising so late," the undead teen corrected making the four senshi sweatdrop. "What are you doing out of the hospital, Hotaru?" he asked sternly.

"Making sure you're all right," the girl answered in a similar tone while stepping forward, "I'm not the kind of person that leaves her friends alone when they're in danger you know."

"And you should know that I am not the kind of person who lets his friends risk themselves for my sake. You should have stayed put." Before Hotaru could reply, Carlos looked up at Setsuna. "Am I right, _Señorita Meioh_?"

"I must say that I agree, Carlos-san," the mocha-skinned woman said, "You have friends that worry about your sake too, Hime-chan."

"Matte," Hotaru held up her hand, "at what point did this become a lecture against me?" Minako giggled while Rei tapped her finger on her arm.

"Before anyone says anything else," the raven-haired girl said, "Could you put on some clothes, Carlos-san? You **are** in a temple."

"_Ah sí, perdón_," Carlos picked up his coat and followed the group into the guestroom.

"Is there something wrong with your powers, Carlos-kun?" Minako asked after they got inside.

"No. Why do you ask?"

"Because of that large scar on your chest," the blonde replied while pointing at it, "I thought your powers regenerated any wound you sustained." Carlos rubbed his fingers over it while the other three took notice. It was dark red and shaped in an explosive pattern, pretty hard not to notice.

"It's a wound from the bullet that killed me," the dark-eyed boy answered, "went all the way through me." He turned around to show them a similar scar on his back. The three longhaired senshi couldn't help cringing a little.

"The bullet that Chris shot before pushing you from the pier, ne?" Hotaru asked.

"_Sí—_" Carlos' eyes widened.

"Hime-chan, how do you know about that?" Setsuna asked in an equally surprised tone. The purple-haired girl sat down and awaited the rest to do so.

"Do you remember those nightmares I told you about, Setsuna-mama?"

"I think I do," Minako said recalling the tackling from the other day.

"After the first night at the hospital they began to make sense. I think I took something from Carlos-san the night I found him, memories from his last night alive." Everyone gasped except for Carlos, who unsuccessfully tried to hold back a growl.

"You know my story then," the boy guessed in a low voice.

"Only a few scattered details, enough to make a connection between us." A shadow of a smile crossed Hotaru's lips. "But I want to know the rest. What happened that night, Carlos-san?"

"Hai," Rei seconded, "You never finished the story."

"It's not a nice tale. Besides, I was only telling it so Artemis could do that brain-thing, there's no need for you to know anymore."

"But you awakened Rein-chan's and Mina-chan's curiosity, not to mention mine," Setsuna told him, "And I must warn you, Mina-chan can be very tenacious when she wants to."

"Hey!"

"All right, all right, I'll tell you the rest." Carlos glanced sternly at each of them. "But don't say I didn't warn you."

Shinagawa, one year ago:

Carlos had been trying to sleep for the last half-hour, but something in the back of his mind was bothering him. _Aw hell, I might as well go apologize to Carmela_. He got up, just as he was about to reach the doorknob, he heard a crash and muffled yelling from the next room. Curious, and more than a bit worried, he placed his ear against the door. His eyes widened when he heard his mother cry, the sounds of a fight and another sound that seemed to be his father groaning. He heard other people as well. He pressed his ear closer to the wooden barrier. That's when it suddenly flew open, knocking him down, last thing he heard was his sister shrieking.

Whirlpool compound, present:

Kara stepped in front of the mirror the see how her outfit looked, the fifth this morning; after all, she wanted to look her best for that big party Allen was taking her to. She ran her hands down her body, emphasizing on the curves. Truly, no man would be able to look at her without getting weak knees, yet it wasn't the right dress. Then a familiar itch ran down her face.

"Damn it!" She stepped closer to the mirror. "I can't believe it," she huffed as she ran a finger down her cheek, "A fortune spent in plastic surgery and I still have this scar." In reality, said scar was barely visible. You'd need the help of a magnifying glass in order to notice it, but to Kara it was always present. It also served as a memento for one of her most difficult missions to complete. She sat on a chair, closed her eyes and recalled the events from that night. _Things had started out so simple. Who would've thought that kid would be so tough?_

Carlos woke up to a slap on his face. "Wakey, wakey sugar." He opened his eyes and saw a woman wearing too-tight clothing. He turned his head and found a whole gang inside his house. A black man with dreadlocks, his face showed disapproval to what his companions were doing, but he did nothing to stop it; Carmen was crying and being held by a skinny man with long red hair; near the door, his father was being beat up by a large bald man; and at last he found his mother, being groped and slapped by a man with short black hair.

"GET YOUR FILTHY HANDS OF HER!" the boy screamed. He tried to get up but Kara held him down.

"My, my, how quickly you turn from an angel to a demon," she observed, "I'm impressed."

"You really shouldn't be, lassie," Willy said as he dropped father, "If I was seein' me mum like that, I'd be goin' crazy also."

"I think mommy here is feeling the same way," Chris said as he pulled out a knife. He held it at the woman's throat, her blouse was ripped to shreds and her face was all bloody. "Worried? Can't blame you. After all, a dedicated mother can't let her kids see something like this."

"That is correct," Blaze remarked with his Freudian impersonation "Such trraumas can last a perrson's whole life. No matterr how shorrt they may be."

Mother tried pleading once more for her children's' sake. "Please…let them go I beg—" Chris' only response was to slap her face.

"Didn't I tell you to keep quiet? I guess the only way to keep you from talking, is to make you moan". The woman cried while Chris and Blaze just laughed.

Carlos closed his eyes tight, but Kara forced them open. "You are watching this, honey, Chris likes an attentive audience." They made him witness the horrid spectacle before him. He saw his father unconscious on the floor and heard his mother plead as Chris did the unthinkable. Willy was holding him now while Kara molested Carmen and Blaze was coating the walls with kerosene or a similar liquid. Carlos wasn't crying though, much less pleading, he was enraged.

"Blimey! The lad's got a lot of fight in 'im, doesn't 'e?" Willy observed. He turned to look at Chris, who had finished his cowardly deed. "You done Chris? I think it's me turn for the ol' in and out."

Carmen cried out. "Leave my mama alone!"

Kara dug her nails under the little girl's skirt, causing her to cry out in pain. "Be quiet, or they just might have a go at you," she threatened.

"Might?" Chris chuckled, "It seems that you don't know that well yet, Kara." He walked up to the two females, the look in his eyes would make you shiver. Carmen's eyes displayed terror and Kara's shot cruelty. "You hold the boy while Willy takes mom, I'll be enjoying this fresh piece of ass." Carmen's tears flowed like rapids as Chris reached out to touch her. Carlos was also trembling, out of hate.

"CARMELA!" He broke free from Willy's hold and charged towards his sister's attacker.

"Cor! Chris, get the kid!" But Chris didn't even need the warning. He gave a quick jab and knocked the kid down, he fell to his knees but got up just as quickly. The thug was barely able to catch the Latin teen by his wrists. With a cruel chuckle, Chris kneed him in the stomach.

"My, my, it really angers you to see your sister being bullied, doesn't it?" He held Carlos up by the neck. "That gives me an idea, hey Blaze." The redhead looked up. "Ever been a virgin's first?"

Blaze's eyes lit up. "You're serious?" He ran up to Carmen, who was still being held by Kara. "She may not be blonde, but I will enjoy this." Meanwhile, Chris dragged Carlos a few steps back.

"From here, you will have a good view of both your mommy and your sis." He punched him in the stomach, Carlos spit blood. "And see that you can't do anything to help them." The dark-haired boy moaned in pain, he looked up and saw the bald man violating his mother's body. He looked away, but saw the woman and redhead as they double-teamed his sister. Blaze pulled off Carmen's underwear and forced her legs open. Carlos closed his eyes.

"_No, por favor_," he heard his sister plead. He opened his eyes again, the images forming in his mind were more ghastly than reality. "NOOO!" Carmen cried and the redhead tore into her. Her brother's hatred against these monsters became more and more nourished. Chris kept beating him, reminding him of his weakness.

__

Keep tiring yourself pendejo, keep angering me.

The nightmare continued for what seemed like an eternity. Carmen and her mother were raped by all of the thugs, except Paul, who never moved from his position by the door. Carlos' father regained consciousness, only to be beaten by Chris and Willy once more.

"That's enough," the black man spoke at last, "You have toyed with them long enough. It is time we freed them from their pain."

"Aww, come on, Paul you never have any fun," Kara complained. She caressed Carmen's tear-soaked cheeks. "Don't you want to taste a sweet angel like her?" Paul responded with a flint-like frown. "Jeez, no fun at all," the mocha-skinned temptress huffed as she tied up her top.

Paul stepped away from the door, Carlos saw his chance. He could sprint, grab Carmela and escape. Unfortunately, it meant that only the two of them would survive. He saw the black man head for his mother first, she was the on farthest from the door.

The boy took a deep breath and recited a mantra. _Get Carmela and run. Get Carmela and run. Get Carmela and run. NOW!_

In a flurry, Carlos spun and elbowed Willy's face, following with an upward kick to his jaw. Next, he charged towards Kara kicking her face. He felt a little satisfaction when he saw her bleed out of the corner of his eye. Last, he grabbed his sister, who was catatonic from all that she had witnessed and suffered, and fled.

Paul tried to grab the two, but he was too far to reach and the child had moved surprisingly fast. "Blast it! You liberate the ones here, I must attend to the lost children." Saying this, he chased after Carlos and Carmen.

Kara rubbed her face as she got up, her eyes widened when her fingers felt something warm and moist over her cheek. She ran up to a mirror nearby and saw a large, bloody gash 'decorating' her once perfect complexion. "That little son of a bitch!" She ran after Paul and the kids. Chris tried to run after them, but suddenly felt dizzy. He, Willy and Blaze were all drained after raping the women while the kid had been resting and planning his escape.

"Damn it! What are you two waiting for? Follow them!"

"Hey, Chris, calm down man!" Blaze answered, "That kid won't get far. Didn't you see the look on Kara's face? He's as good as dead."

Chris grumbled, Blaze was half-right. Whenever Kara got angry, she proved to be a force to reckon with. He once tried to take advantage of her and ended up regretting it. "Still," he added, "we mustn't take any chances. You okay, Willy?"

The bald guy rubbed his chin. "Aye. The lad packs quite a punch I'll give 'im that much. You got everythin' set, Blaze?"

"All done. This place will go up in smoke in a few minutes." He gave a malicious smirk. "How about we do something fun and let these two roast alive?"

Chris walked up and smacked Blaze on the back of his head. "Are you stupid or something? We'd only give them the chance to get away and call the police." Both heard a whine and turned, Carlos' mother was trying to escape, but she was too hurt to move freely. Father was moving as well, reaching out for his wife. "See? They're moving after all we've put them through." Chris took out his knife and pulled up the woman by the hair. He whispered in her ear, "If it's any consolation, you'll see your kids soon enough." He put his knife to her throat and slashed it open. Her eyes went wide as saucers as she felt blood flow out of her throat and life abandoning her. Her last thought went towards her children, who were now left alone to face a crueler world that she believed existed.

Willy approached the father. "Hey, you awake, governor?" He couldn't respond, the shock of seeing her wife raped and killed was too much. Willy kicked him and got a groan for a response. "Jolly good, you are." He started beating him again, taking delight in his pain. Until one final kick to the head broke his neck. "Okay Chris, no survivors. Shall we get going?"

"Yes, let's."

"Whoa, whoa, wait a minute!" Blaze called out, "Listen." The other two went quiet and noticed a faint beeping sound. Blaze started to search all around, his companions couldn't figure out what he was doing. Finally he held up his hand triumphantly. "Eureka!" In it, he held a Tamagotchi™. He threw it to the floor and stomped it like crazy. "There, **now** there are no survivors." Chris and Willy facefaulted.

Carlos paused to rest. He couldn't take too long, those maniacs were right behind him, and carrying Carmen was slowing him down. The girl was too scared to even cry. He rushed into a warehouse, scanned the place and went to a corner where there was a pile of boxes. "Here's the plan, Carmela: I'll try to lead those creeps away. You wait here for a while then go into the city. Once there, you'll find the police. Understand?" She didn't respond, she just gave him a blank stare. Carlos growled and shook her violently. "Carmela, are you listening?"

Carmen snapped and started crying. "They…they hurt me, Carlos," she sobbed, "they…" She threw herself into her brother's arms wailing. He wished he could comfort her, but now was not the time.

"LISTEN! If only one of us can survive, I'd rather it be you." He stroked her hair to calm her. "You are a strong girl, Carmela, stronger than you believe. You always manage to pull out triumphantly out of any situation. AND THIS TIME IT WILL BE NO DIFFERENT!" He looked straight into her eyes. "You will survive, you will grow up, you will marry, you'll make hundreds of dolls for your children and grandchildren. But first, you must stop crying."

Carmen's breathing began to slow down, her tears ceased and the fear in her face was replaced by brave determination. She jumped forward and gave her brother the tightest hug she ever had given him. "Promise me you'll find me, Carlos." This was more like an order than a plead. "Promise me!"

He returned the hug. "I promise," he kissed her cheek, "_Te quiero, hermana_." He pushed her away and ran, leaving her alone and, hopefully, safe.

Carlos came to a halt and listened to his surroundings. _Water, I must be near the docks. _For nearly half an hour he'd been leading Chris and the others on a wild goose chase, getting farther away from Carmen as possible. He looked over his shoulder and saw two silhouettes, Kara and Willy. "Hey! _Hijos de perra! _Are you looking for me?" he yelled at the top of his lungs. Both turned around and gave chase. Carlos laughed and fled.

"Little brat!" Kara muttered. She halted, pulled out a gun and fired. The bullet scraped Carlos' calf, he dropped and clutched his leg in pain. There was no serious damage but it hurt like hell. _Don't find Carmela, don't find Carmela_. Was all that ran through his mind. Kara ran up to him and, using the full momentum, kicked him in the face. The blow was so hard he spat out blood and a tooth. She flipped him over and planted her foot on his throat.

"**No one** touches my face and gets away with it. NO ONE!" she cried as she kept on kicking. At one time, Carlos grabbed her foot and threw her down, he got up and so did Kara. She threw a punch and the teen caught her arm. Recalling a move he saw in a movie once, he spun around and threw her over his shoulder. He heard heavy foot falls, turned and saw Willy charging towards him. As soon as the bald man was nearly upon him, Carlos dropped to his side and threw a kick to his groin. He wasted no time, he started running again, now was the time to escape.

Kara got up trying to rub her back. "Damn, that kid really is tough! We should talk Allen into making him a part of the group."

"I doubt the governor would agree lass," Willy replied with a moan, "Besides, our tortured soul Pauly would not approve." He groaned again and kept rubbing between his legs.

"Oh, cut it out. I bet there was nothing there to damage." Willy narrowed his eyes at her. "The kid's getting away, Let's go!"

Carlos ran as fast as he could, if he could keep up this pace he was sure that he would lose those madmen. Unfortunately, he was too busy concentrating on being fast the he didn't see where he was going.

"_Hijo de-!_" He stopped just in time to avoid falling into the water. _I guess I better find somewhere else to go_. He turned and started running again, but only took a few steps before stopping again. He saw Chris, and he was walking towards him.

"Gotta hand it to you, kid," Chris sneered as he clapped his fist, "you really gave us a run for our money. But sadly, it now must end."

"Really? Well I think we should make this an all-nighter." Carlos charged and threw a right hook at the bully, but his arm was easily caught. Now he was too tired from all that running. Chris snorted and gave him a wicked grin. He began to pummel the boy. Punches, jabs, kicks, head-butts, all punishment imaginable.

"You wanted to save your family, right?" He threw a hook to the teen's stomach. "You wanted to be a hero. Well here's your first lesson." He cocked his arm. "Taking blows from the bad guy!" Chris threw one final blow, which floored Carlos. The thug looked over his shoulder and saw three of his companions approach.

"Hey Chris!" Blaze called out. "I see you've already taken care of the kid. You should have waited for us, man."

"I agree," Kara stated as she carefully touched her wound, "With the endurance he displayed, I was really looking forward to testing him." She flinched as her cheek stung. "Even after doing this to me."

"Well, sorry guys," Chris shrugged, "the work here is done." He crooked an eyebrow when he heard movement from behind. He turned around and was met by Carlos as he rammed his entire body into him. The black-haired man was surprised but not hurt. The attack had been too feeble. The teen was pulled back by his hair. Ignoring the pain he threw a jab, but his fist was easily caught. "My, my, you really are a tough guy." Chris threw a rockette-like kick and threw the boy several feet back.

"Lad's really got spite, we should get paid extra for this," Willy stated. He looked back. "There you are, Paul ol' chum. Have you taken care of the little lass?" Carlos eyes flew open when he heard that question.

"I found her," the ebony man deadpanned.

"N-no…" Carlos groaned as he got up. The whole gang was amazed at his stamina. The boy finally managed to get to his feet, Chris was right in front of him.

"You're really angry, aren't you? Tell you what, I'll let you hit me. That way you won't feel like such a putz."

Carlos trembled with rage. Hateful tears ran down his face. _They're gone. Papá, mamá, Carmela_. He looked up and saw Chris sneering. He heard the chortles coming from the others. He clenched his fists so hard his palms bleed. _It's their fault. They killed them. THEY MUST DIE!_ He gave out a war cry and attacked the murderer before him. Chris was completely taken off-guard, he wasn't expecting the kid to have that much strength left. He received some fairly tough blows before reacting. He threw a few punches and connected. Carlos ignored the pain and kept up his assault. Finally, Chris decided to truly end this. He threw a haymaker and Carlos received it totally, but didn't fall. The maniac kept hitting but the kid wouldn't fall, even though he was too hurt to move.

"Can you believe it? This kid's like a cockroach, nothing beats him." He looked over his shoulder. "Kara, give me your gun."

The dark-haired woman blinked. "You're not using your knife?"

"You got a problem with that?"

"No," she replied as she handed her weapon, "It's just unusual, that's all."

Chris cocked the weapon and aimed it at Carlos' chest at pointblank range. "Any last words, kid?" he mocked. Carlos said nothing he just gave his foe an indescribable stare, it almost made the murderer gulp. "Very well." He pulled the trigger.

They say that your entire life flashes before your eyes the moment you die, Carlos could only see the last few hours. As he fell forward, his hand darted up and grabbed Chris by the shirt. Summoning all the strength he had left, he managed to pull himself up.

"Damn! Can nothing kill you?"

"I swear," the teen said in a barely audible voice, "I will drag you into the deepest pit of Hell." Chris just gave him a bored look and shoved him away. He stumbled back and fell into the water. The whole gang approach to watch the kid sink. All the time his eyes were kept open, Willy could've sworn he was still alive when he went under.

Chris took a deep breath. "Finally, mission accomplished!" He turned to his partners. "I'm gonna need a drink to get over this. Who's with me?"

"I'll pass," Kara said, "I want to get back to the compound early for a change."

"You mean you wan' to get back to the governor soon, huh lassie?" Willy teased.

"Watch your mouth, Prince George," Kara winked, "you could be talking to the boss' future wife."

"Such tenacity is admirable," Paul stated solemnly, "I have fought grown men that have given up after receiving much less." He turned to Chris. "I will have a drink, and toast to this child's honor."

"Yes indeed, he acted like a hero. But in the end, he was all wet."

"Shut up, Blaze!" everyone chorused.

That night, someone glimpsed at the sky and saw some crows flying in formation. One of them was trailing far behind.

Rei had brought some tea to help ease the tale a little. The events and the way Carlos told them were nearly unbearable, even for a battle-hardened senshi. After he finished, Carlos got up and left the room quietly. Hotaru saw him and followed.

"Hotaru-chan," Minako called out but was held back by Setsuna.

"They need some time alone, Mina-chan," the mocha-skinned woman said in a soft voice, "Hime-chan is the one who can help Carlos-san the most."

Hotaru found Carlos leaning against a column. It seemed strange to her that he didn't vanish, maybe he wanted to talk for once.

"As if almost killing you wasn't enough," the undead teen said darkly, "I'm also responsible for you having nightmares every night."

"I don't want you to blame yourself for what's in my head, Carlos-san. You still had no control over your powers at that time. Besides, I'm the one who decided to help you."

"And who told you to help a complete stranger?" Carlos snapped, "If you look back on that moment, you made a really stupid choice."

"So you consider helping people something stupid?" Hotaru retorted in an angrier tone, "I thought I was saving your life! That's some sense gratitude you've got."

"It's not like I actually needed your help. Let's face it, you just wasted your time." Hotaru sighed and shook her head.

"Carlos-san, I know you still don't have much experience dealing with people. But you really must learn to—And I must learn not to take my sight off you." The violet-eyed girl crossed her arms and stomped her foot on the floor. This is how Minako found her.

"I take it Carlos-kun used his disappearing trick again."

"Hai, and it's getting quite annoying." Hotaru leaned against a column and took a deep breath. "Why does he have to act like such a baka?"

"I think that I'm to blame," the blonde said, "I'm the one who pushed him into telling us that horrible tale. I should have known it would affect him like that." She out her hand on her young friend's shoulder. "Then again, letting it out might've helped him a little bit."

"Hai, perhaps. I just wish he acted in a nicer way." Hotaru paused a bit. "Or that I knew how to treat him."

"Oh, so you want to treat him in a different way than your other friends, ne?" Hotaru didn't reply but blushed fiercely. "I got a call from Mako-chan last night. Shigeru-kun will be busy during the 'Dark Feather' party, and she suggested we invite Carlos-kun. Taking advantage of Setsuna-san's reputation, it would be plausible that she found out where he lives in order to invite him." The dark-haired girl gave her friend a long stare. "Come on, Hotaru-chan. Don't tell me he wouldn't like to go to a party with his friends."

"Mina-san," Hotaru replied dragging a hand down her face, "please don't set me up for a date."

"I never said it would be a date. It didn't even cross my mind until you mentioned it." Minako giggled and Hotaru grumbled.

"How are Hime-chan and Carlos-san doing?" Setsuna asked as she stepped outside.

"Well, Carlos-kun vanished and Hotaru-chan… Has also vanished." The blonde spun around trying to find the girl until she looked at Setsuna blinking curiously.

"Eto. Did I mention Hime-chan learning a cloaking technique?" the emerald-haired woman asked.

"Ie, you haven't. And Hotaru-chan is right, it is annoying."

Carlos hadn't gone far when he escaped Hotaru, he just jumped up to the roof and was lying there thinking when Kashaku landed next to him.

"_What troubles you, Warrior?_"

"I'm thinking about changing my name from crow to fox, given that I'm a _pinche _liar." He sat up. "A moment ago I told Hotaru that I didn't like to see my friends get hurt. What the hell do I know about friends if I've never had one?"

"_Did you think before talking?_"

"_Qué_?"

"_You spoke without thinking, that means your words came straight from the heart,_" the guardian said,"_which makes them true._"

"What about the thing I said later?" the undead teen inquired, "That she was wasting her time when she helped me. I didn't think either. Does that mean I'm really not grateful?"

"_No, it means you just acted like the fool you usually are_." Carlos narrowed his eyes at the bird, who just chuckled. "_We must start planning. Our mission mustn't be delayed long and Lady Mars could face grave danger by keeping us hidden. Maybe if we told Lady Pluto what we know she could investigate and find out about our enemies_."

"Maybe." Carlos raised his head. "Hotaru's using her silent shadow."

"_So I noticed, she may want some time alone from the other senshi_." Kashaku saw his ward get up. "_What are you doing, Warrior?_"

"I'm going after her," Karasu simply said, "I know she probably doesn't want to see me at this moment. But in the condition she's in, I must go keep an eye on her."

"_Wait, if you leave the temple you'll expose yourself. Lady Saturn is a very powerful senshi, I'm sure she is very capable of taking care of herself. We will leave here eventually, it is not right to impose on Lady Mars, but for today at least, stay_."

"And while I'm here something could happen to Hotaru, just like something happened to those two girls the other night I wasn't there." The marks disappeared off Carlos' face. "But you're right, I will stay."

"_I'm glad you came to reason—_"

"You'll go follow Hotaru."

"Caw?"

"Follow her and show me what you see. If Hotaru runs into danger I'll inform _Señorita_ Hino, and perhaps go there myself." Kashaku was going respond but wasn't allowed. "Go!" Grumbling, the guardian took flight.

"_I really don't think Lady Saturn will need help, but I'll humor you. And while I'm out, I suggest you work on your Mexican machismo._"

Whirlpool Compound:

Chris was walking down the corridor from his room to the workout area. Since his robotic body had no need for rest, lying on the bed just drove him crazy. He ran into Paul as he went around the corner.

"Hey there, black martyr. Are you making good use of your vacation?"

"What are you talking about?" the black man asked.

"I'm talking about the fact that Allen hasn't given you any work after the school you drone-infested. But I'm not a klutz like Blaze or a lovesick bimbo like Kara, I've noticed you've been busy with something. What is it?"

"It's a personal project I'm working on," Paul responded, "none of your business." He tried to walk away, but metal claws held him still.

"Allen doesn't allow any personal projects, unless they profit him." The cyborg's voice got lower. "Are you planning something against me?"

"Do you remember our target from a year ago?" Paul asked plainly.

"I've killed hundreds of people last year, Paul, plus others that I wasn't assigned to."

"And you don't remember who they are at all?"

"Does it matter?" Chris asked coldly. Paul said nothing, he just stared at his companion for a while.

"How could I be so blind?" the black man asked himself as he left. Chris wondered a while what that meant but shrugged it off almost immediately. Why should he care what the martyr was going through? After all, no one had ever cared about him.

Hotaru wasn't exactly sure where she was at the time but wasn't worried, she could easily find her way back home. Besides, she had more important things in her mind. She thought about what Reiko and Setsuna had said about her attitude becoming more aggressive. Not to mention that the felt something against Haruka. Maybe she was just fed up with the sand-blonde's overprotective and paranoid attitude. But Hotaru felt that there was a somewhat darker reason. She wanted to, but was also afraid of finding out why.

"It's not because of Carlos-san, I've felt the anger before meeting him. What is the reason?"

"Hey! Is that you Tomoe?" a voice called out.

Hotaru turned and recognized the girl catching up to her. The pale girl huffed, she was one of the people who used to bully her back at Mugen Gauken. _What the hell does she want?_

"I thought it was you," the girl said, "Who else could make such a fine ghost impression without even trying?"

"What do you want?" the pale girl growled.

"I want to ask something from you."

"After two years, just like that?" Hotaru asked in an annoyed tone but the girl didn't notice.

"The other day I saw a really cute guy with black hair, ponytail and sunglasses. And another day I noticed that he was with you. I want you to tell me who he is and where he lives."

"He's my sempai," Hotaru snapped, "And why should I tell you anything else?"

"I'm trying to do you a favor. If I take your boyfriend away from you now, you'll be less hurt than when he breaks up with you eventually." Hotaru made a fist, the girl got closer. "You must know that a little freak like you couldn't possibly keep him close for long, you'll probably scare him away with your freakish power. Best if you let me have him now."

"He's not an object, he's my friend!" Hotaru stated as she pushed the girl away, "Leave him alone or else I'll make sure you do."

"Ooh, a threat," the girl mocked as she shoved the smaller one into the wall, "Do you think you scare me? You weak little witch." Hotaru grabbed the girl by the shirt, spun and slammed her into the wall.

"Carlos-san is important to me, very important. I'm not letting anything bad happen to him, even if it's a little thing like getting involved with a pathetic bimbo like you." Her eyes began to glow purple, but she didn't know this. "I'm not the weak little girl you used to bully around before, so beware." Hotaru released her hold. The girl stared at her for a while before running away as fast as she could. The violet-eyed teen took a deep breath and leaned against the wall.

__

What was that all about? This isn't me, this isn't the way I act. She turned and saw that the girl had come to a halt a distance away and was staring back at her. A little glare and she stumbled trying to run again. That glimpse of fear she saw on her face sent a bit of satisfaction through Hotaru. _Carlos-san is right, there's a fun part to having people fear you._ She walked away, laughing out loud. "Who am I kidding? This is me and I like it."

Quoth the raven:

Why did Carlos consider changing his name to Fox? Recall Aesop's tale: "The Fox and The Crow" and you'll realize why.

And about Hotaru's behavior, that will be brought out on a much later chapter.


	15. Death and Rebirth 15

****

Death and Rebirth

Chapter fifteen:

Outers' manor, afternoon:

"Tadaima," Michiru announced. She and Haruka had just come from picking up evening gowns from the seamstress, which Setsuna had designed. The celebration for the 'Dark Feather' anniversary was just a few hours away. They went into the living room and found it empty.

"Strange," Haruka wondered, "Where could she be?"

"We're having tea at the backyard," a cheerful voice called out. The two lovers went outside and found Setsuna chatting with Usagi and Mamoru.

"Ohayo," the Earth prince greeted, "Setsuna-san told us you two where picking up her latest work."

"Those are the dresses?" The blonde girl got up. "Let me see!" She grabbed one of the plastic bags at random and took the dress out, carefully. It was dark violet and elegant in its simplicity, although the front would be covered the back would be completely bare. Not to mention the hemline running up to the calf would show a lot of leg. "It's beautiful, Setsuna-san, you really should make up your mind and design at a professional level."

"Hai," Haruka agreed, "I'll always say it, each design you make just gets better than the last one."

"And I said Hime-chan has enough with two celebrities in the house. Besides, I like designing as a hobby. Doing it as a living would result in a lot of pressure and a lot of mistakes."

"Speaking of which," Mamoru said as he eyed the dress, "I think the seamstress left this one too short." The red-eyed woman raised an eyebrow at that comment and Usagi blinked at the dress she held. Setsuna got up and checked the length.

"Ie, it should fit Hime-chan perfectly."

"Nani?" everyone chorused. Setsuna blinked.

"I guess she could try it on to see how it fits, but I—"

"You know what we mean, Setsuna-san," Usagi said, "Don't you think this dress is too grown up for Hotaru-chan?"

"She **is** growing up you know," Setsuna insisted.

"It's still a surprise," Mamoru said, "I remember how nervous I was when I suspected Chibi-Usa seeing someone. (_Who had turned out to be Elios_) I can't believe you're so calm about this."

__

If you knew how hard it's becoming to keep this poker face, you wouldn't say that, my prince.

"Nevertheless," Michiru said as she took the dress from the blonde girl's hands, "Our Hime-chan will look gorgeous wearing this, ne Haruka?"

"Yeah, it's nice," the racer deadpanned, "But don't you think you could've put some sleeves on this thing, Setsuna-san?" All that she could think of was the amount of skin Hotaru would be showing. "Or maybe an overcoat."

"Haruka," her aqua-haired lover began, "You always said Hime-chan should be less introverted. How come now you're—" Everyone narrowed their eyes as realization hit them. "This wouldn't have anything to do with a certain Mexico-jin attending the affair, ne?" Haruka took a deep breath.

"Look, I don't like him okay." She did have some nasty encounters with him the last three days, encounters in which Hotaru often took his side. "All I did was agree to let Hime-chan be. Speaking of whom, where is she?"

"She's upstairs in her room," Usagi answered, "I think she's showing her lamp collection to Carlos-kun."

"NANI!?" Never did Tenoh Haruka move so fast.

"Eto, Mamo-chan, do you think I should've been a little bit more tactful?"

"Hai, Usako, you should have."

Carlos sat on the floor while Kashaku was perched on the windowsill. They both watched as bits of light rose from Hotaru's hands and took a birdlike shape. It spread its wings and fluttered around the room. Carlos watched for a little while, then flicked Hotaru on the nose.

"Ow!"

"You fell into a trance again," the boy said.

"_Those illusions are truly useful, Lady Saturn. But dangerous if you cannot stay alert while casting them_."

"I know, that's why I asked you two to help," the girl replied as she rubbed her nose, "I don't want to become a sitting duck while I use this ability."

"_Speaking of exposure, I say we head back to the temple, Warrior. We don't know when or if our enemy will try to ensnare you again._"

"Kashaku-san is right," Hotaru agreed, "I'm sure I'll be able to concentrate better if I knew you're safe at Hikawa temple."

"You're just making up excuses," Carlos answered, "I haven't done anything these last few days, and I only have to be hidden as Karasu no shi, as Carlos Navarro I shouldn't have to."

"Okay, if you're sure about it. How about we try the silent shadow again?"

"I'd say you have that nailed already," the dark-haired boy replied, "our trips downstairs sure proved it."

"Hai," Hotaru replied giggling, "I can't believe I was able to stand besides Setsuna-mama without her even noticing. And everyone believes her to be the all-knowing, all-seeing senshi."

"What I don't believe is that you didn't let me take the cookies," Carlos huffed.

"It wouldn't be right. Besides, I thought you don't have to eat."

"But I do have a sweet-tooth."

"_I would've enjoyed a nibble myself_," the guardian added, "_But you have not answered my previous question, Lady Saturn. When did you learn the silent shadow?_"

"I guess always knew the technique, I just didn't realize it," Hotaru answered with a sigh, "I've told you how I used to be bullied back at my old school, this made me want to stay unnoticed so I wouldn't get hurt. I guess I developed the silent shadow out of that."

"And you thought people just ignored you," the undead teen guessed.

"One major drawback if you ask me," Hotaru said glumly. She shook her head. "Let bygones be bygones. Let's try another illusion." She gathered specks of light again and gave them shape, this time that of a butterfly. Carlos noticed that his friend managed to stay awake a little longer this time, but she fell into the trance and he woke her in the usual fashion.

"(Grumble) Keep that up and I'll bite your nose off!"

"Ooh, so that's where the line is." Carlos leaned closer. "Are you mad enough to back up your threat," he challenged. Hotaru glared at him for a while then let a nasty little smile bend her lips. She leaned towards him, getting her face closer to his.

"Caw!" The call startled the two teenagers. "_Lady Uranus is approaching. I will leave know in order to keep appearances. And do try to behave, Warrior,_" Kashaku added as he took off.

"Like _Don Tenoh _is the perfect gentleman," Carlos huffed.

"Well, we better get down and greet her and Michiru-mama." She got up quickly but didn't count on her foot falling asleep. "Carlos-san!" she called as she fell forward flailing her arms.

"I gotcha—oomph!" Carlos caught Hotaru but still fell to the floor with her on top. Both their eyes went wide open and their faces bright red. He kept her from getting hurt, but his hand had ended up in a particular area of her torso. "Uh…_perdón_…I" He tried to move his hand away.

"Ie!" the dark-haired girl gasped, "Don't move, I…I'll get up." Hotaru had hardly begun to rise when both teenagers felt a very threatening aura coming from the door. They turned and a saw a very, very angry Haruka Tenoh.

"Gaijin," she growled, "get your hands off Hime-chan and get your hentai carcass out of this house!"

"Haruka," Hotaru said as she sat up, "I fell and Carlos-san tried to break my fall. He didn't try anything, it just," the girl blushed a bit, "umm, fell there."

"But if thinking otherwise upsets you," the undead teen suggested, "by all means, _Don Tenoh_, do go on." Haruka tightened her fists and Hotaru rolled her eyes.

"Still, Navarro," the sand-blonde continued with fake politeness, "I would appreciate it if you left, now."

"Fine, fine. I've got things to do anyway." He strode by Haruka receiving a glare.

"Matte Carlos-san, I'll go with you," Hotaru called out, "I'm supposed to meet with Reiko-san today."

"Just like that?" the racer asked as she walked down the aisle behind the young girl, "You should let us know when you're going out you know."

"I told Setsuna-mama," the dark-haired girl responded, "And it's not like you ever tell anything to anyone," she added harshly. Haruka came to a halt, part of her knew that what she just heard was true, and that hurt. And it was also the third time this week her Hime-chan called her Haruka just like that.

"So Hotaru-chan doesn't know what kind of a dress she's wearing?" Usagi asked Setsuna as she put on her jacket.

"Ie," the mocha-skinned woman answered, "Hime-chan is still too introverted, and I thought that dressing up nicely would help her. The reason I haven't told her about this dress is because she would be hard to convince into wearing it."

"Don't worry, I'm sure she'll think of it as a pleasant surprise," Mamoru assured.

"Who'll think it's a pleasant surprise, _Señor _Chiba?" Carlos asked as he came down the stairs.

"We're talking about the dress Hotaru-chan is going to wear tonight," the Earth prince answered. He raised an eyebrow, "And if I were you, I'd start thinking of a good compliment already. Usako, for example, can get quite moody if she doesn't get one."

"For that, Mamo-chan, you're going to have to come up with a mega-compliment," the blonde said while she elbowed her husband playfully. "You are going to the dance, ne Carlos-kun?"

"I'm not quite sure yet," the boy answered, "On one hand I would probably bore myself out of my skull at such a fancy place." He tilted his head and grinned. "On the other hand, it would really spite _Don Tenoh _if I took Hotaru."

"Spite? Is that all my company is worth to you, Carlos-san?" Hotaru asked as she joined the group.

"Of course not!" Carlos defended himself, "It's just one of the fun parts." Hotaru raised an eyebrow. "Lesser fun parts," the boy added. Hotaru tapped her foot. "I'm in trouble now, aren't I," he asked Mamoru.

"Hai, pretty much," the black-haired man assured him. "Hotaru-chan, Setsuna-san told us you were going to see Reiko-chan, would you like us to give you a ride?"

"Hai, I would like that."

"I'm leaving as well," Carlos declared, "_Adiós_ everyone."

"Matte, Carlos-kun," Usagi called out, "Where are you going? Mamo-chan and I could give you a lift."

"Me? Uh, well, I'm going to…" _How do I get out of this? _He couldn't just tell them he was going back to his hiding place at Rei's home.

"You're coming with me, silly, have you forgotten?" Hotaru butted in, "You were going to tell Reiko-san and I something about Aztec legends."

"_Ah sí_, that assignment, help you guys. Where is my head these days?"

"Eto, let's get going then," a baffled Usagi said, "Sayonara, Setsuna-san, Michiru-san."

"Bye bye," the emerald-haired woman said.

"See you at the party," the ocean princess added as she closed the door. "Carlos-san was acting a bit strangely, don't you think?"

"No stranger than the two of you," Setsuna replied with a wink. Both women giggled as they went upstairs.

Whirlpool compound:

Allen Poe yanked the blonde wig off his head and dropped onto the chair exhausted. He'd been to a hundred houses from one of the lists Dr Hawkins had come up with, and was nowhere nearer to finding that girl. Not only that, he was expected to be at the office in a couple of minutes. The phone rang and an annoyed Allen picked it up. "Poe speaking… (Sigh) Is it so hard to understand? Relay waiters and music bands. I want the event to last all night, and the only people who will be getting tired will be the guests… I don't care about the cost, you know I can afford it… Just stop asking senseless questions and get to work," the man ordered as he slammed the phone, "Idiotic buffoons." Poe buried his face in his hands. _This was supposed to be a lot easier._

"Mr. Poe, Sir," an annoying voice called from the door, "The tailors have your suit ready, as well as Miss Kara's gown, and she has taken care of Mr. Smith's assigned accident also. And here is a new list of addresses. If I may be so bold, Sir, are you about to realize this is going to be a fruitless search?"

"The only fruitless searches are the ones that are given up, Hawkins," the dark-haired man responded as he got up and out of his costume. "And I don't appreciate people getting bold before me," he added with a dark glare that had predictable results on the scientist.

"My apologies, Sir," Hawkins replied as he rubbed his temple and tried to shake the fright out. "Is there anything else you want me to do?"

"Just keep doing your job, Hawkins, and keep Chris and Blaze in check, they're growing restless with all this waiting," Poe ordered as he put on his tie. "And also, the grand event is quite near, I hope you've already chosen a proper attire."

"Sir, I don't believe my assistance to said event will result productive."

"Think Hawkins, think. We'll be surrounded by rich and stressed out investors, tycoons and artist. Many of which should have families on the brink, there will be a lot of dark energy available to us and I'll need some of your devices and know-how." Allen Poe finished dressing up. "Besides, you're my best worker so far, I need you to be relaxed. So you're going to the party."

"I guess every dance should have a geek," Kara announced as she strolled into the room, "Although, I wish you'd be more choosy with whom you invite honey." She reached up and kissed him on the lips.

"You may go back to work, Hawkins. And make sure that Smith's surviving family is well taken care of."

"Didn't the nerd tell you?" Kara asked, "His wife and kids were with him, no one survived."

"Oh, never mind then." The doctor was dismissed and the couple entered the elevator. Once the doors closed, Kara's cheerful demeanor became quite serious.

"Allen, I need to talk to you about Paul's behavior."

"Is there anything wrong? So far, he's been acting introverted and silent, in other words, as always."

"I'm serious, Allen!" the mocha-skinned woman spat, "Don't get me wrong, I appreciate Paul, he's not a chauvinist pig like Chris or Blaze. But I have to tell you, ever since he came back from that mission at the school, he's been snooping around. I've seen him come in and out of the computer room, asking Hawkins' assistants what they know about you, hell, he's even tried to get me to tattletale on you." Allen just hummed to show he was paying attention. He was well aware of Paul's activities, but wasn't worried. The really important information was well hidden. Besides, Paul still had a purpose that he would soon complete.

"I don't think it's a priority, but I'll keep my eye on him. Right now there are more important things to attend."

"Well, while you do that, I'll go talk some sense into the martyr. And if things get difficult." She gave an uninterested shrug. "I guess he'll blow his top." Poe saw Kara pet her gun, this was not good. With a swift motion he took her chin and lifted her face.

"Forget Paul," he commanded. The woman's eyes went wide and blank. He let her go and turned away while she stayed motionless until the elevator came to a stop. When he finally stepped out of the elevator and into his office, Kara snapped out of the trance.

"Don't forget honey, I want a princess' treatment at the party."

"I promise it will be the night of your dreams." Kara smiled her reply and went back to the sublevels. _Even though I prefer to give out nightmares._

Mamoru Chiba drove down the streets of Juban. Usagi sat in the passenger's seat while Hotaru and Carlos rode in the back. The latter kept himself silent while looking out the window, trying to sense whether there was anything wrong.

"It's a bummer when you think about it," the undead teen spoke at last, "You see a country through movies and TV and they only show you the good side. But when you get there, you're left alone to discover the ugly one."

"I understand," Usagi responded, "Everything seems swell when you're a kid. Then you grow up and meet reality face to face." She turned to face Carlos. "Have you had any bad experiences here, Carlos-kun?"

"I've had bad experiences everywhere."

"Carlos-san," Hotaru gave her friend a worried glance.

"I'm okay, really. To tell the truth, I think I'm finally learning to take the bad and do something good with it."

"When life gives you lemons, make lemonade," Mamoru quoted, "I've heard five different versions of that one out of Mina-chan." Everyone in the car laughed while the aforementioned blonde sneezed somewhere. "But things have been a bit awkward lately," the black-haired man continued, "Over the last few weeks there had been an increase in muggings and gang activities. But these last few days things seem to have gone back to normal."

"They should go lower than normal," the violet-eyed girl added, "thanks to someone I might mention." She gave Carlos a wink.

"_Ah sí_, the senshi. They must have kept themselves busy with that crime-wave."

"I was talking about the Karasu," Hotaru corrected, letting out a deep breath.

"Hai," the odango-headed blonde seconded, "He's the one who should get the credit for cleaning up the streets. The senshi take care of things that are more in the field of the supernatural. And with the way he's been acting, I'd say the crime level should go much lower than normal."

"_Sí_, I've seen the news reports. What do you think about him?"

"He acts like a psychotic," Mamoru answered without hesitation, "What else can I say about someone who beats his victims to a pulp and then draws a bird with their blood?"

"Mamo-chan!"

"Okay, maybe the guy's not a saint," Carlos replied, "but he does get the job done. These gangs, their heads have no room for reason. The only thing they understand and respect is power." He made a tight fist. "If fear is the only way they'll stay behind the line, then so be it."

"That's the way tyrants acted, Carlos-san," Hotaru pointed out, "and they didn't exactly become very popular because of that."

"Hotaru, I don't think he wants to be a ruler, he simply wants to keep order." Carlos leaned back and crossed his arms behind his head. "Besides, why would a dead guy give a damn about his popularity?"

"How do you know he's undead?" Usagi asked. Carlos gulped and Hotaru slapped him on the arm.

"Uh, well, I, it's one of those things you hear on the streets. You know, rumors and tall-tales. The Karasu being a sort of ghost is simply the most popular story."

"Or maybe he just wants people to believe that," the pale girl guessed, "so that he'll be remembered as something more than just another plain old psycho." Carlos gave her a brief glare as she stuck out her tongue in a cutesy manner. Usagi and Mamoru however, wondered how their young friend in the backseat had come up with that.

"Anyway," the black-haired man continued, "the way a person acts doesn't necessarily means that is his personality. I truly believe that Karasu no shi is a good being deep inside. All he needs is for someone to let him know that."

"_Señor_ Chiba, how could you possibly know that?" the undead teen questioned as he leaned forward.

"I know a thing or two about people who wear masks," he plainly replied. Carlos leaned back with a worried look on his face. Had he been careless during his stay at Hikawa? He didn't have much time to think about it, for at that moment a tire was thrown at the car! Mamoru didn't lose much control but he did come to a stop, which was what the four thugs who threw the wheel wanted. Within a moment they were surrounding the vehicle.

"Come on out and give us all you've got in your pockets," one with a red Mohawk ordered, "please." Everyone did as they had been told, Usagi warning her two young friends to remain calm. Even though she was quite frightened herself. But Carlos, as you may have probably guessed, wouldn't remain put.

"You know, my friends and I were just talking about how dangerous these streets were becoming."

"Were you?" a skinny punk with green hair asked, "So why didn't you and your little girlfriend stay inside?" Hotaru tried to challenge him but Carlos held her back.

"I meant, dangerous for you."

"Caw!"

Kashaku gave out a very loud call as he landed on the hood of the car and gave each gang member a cold stare. The Mohawk simply shrugged and advanced towards Mamoru.

"Enough wasting time. Give me your money and—Nani?" He saw all of his friends escaping. "Where are you going?"

"Duh! That's a crow, baka, and you know what that means."

"You stupid cowards!" the punk yelled. He turned his attention towards Mamoru, who now had Carlos beside him and they were both in a defensive stance. "I'm not afraid of some blackbird. Now do as I say or—"

"_I would follow your companions' example_," the guardian warned in a voice only the punk could hear, "_Otherwise I shall dine on your eyes_." The punk gulped and shook nervously. To add to his fear, Carlos lowered his sunglasses a bit, revealing his black eyes. The punk finally ran away screaming. And before anyone could ask anything, Kashaku flew away as swiftly and as high as he could.

"Mamo-chan," the princess asked as she approached her husband, "do you think that was…the guardian?" she whispered.

"I don't think it was Karasu's crow," Carlos butted in, setting his glasses back into place, "He wouldn't have missed the chance of beating a lesson into these _pendejos_." _And believe me, Señora Chiba, I **really** wanted to._

"Whatever, let's hurry out of here," Usagi pleaded, "this experience has really creeped me out."

After getting back in the car and driving a few minutes, Carlos got close to his amethyst-eyed friend and whispered in her ear.

"Hotaru, I noticed you moving your fingers right before we left. Did you do something back there?" The girl gave a tiny grin.

"Let's just say, people will know Karasu no shi was there."

Back at the spot where they had their encounter, some white flames were coming from the ground. Seen from above one would be able to see a crow's silhouette.

Evening came, and the celebration for the tenth anniversary of 'Dark Feather' began. Allen Poe had rented the best reunion hall in all of Juban. It was a virtual palace, and high-priced experts had designed the chosen decorations. Everyone who was someone had been invited, and while they all thought it had been close ties that had brought them here, Poe's reasons were more selfish and darker.

Usagi, Mamoru, Makoto and Minako stood just outside the door and about to enter.

"Well, it's not the tower," the odango-headed blonde commented with slight disappointment, "But what the hey? We can have a good time anywhere, ne Mamo-chan?"

"You two will surely have a good time," Makoto said, "Me, I'll be boring myself out of my skull while Andre-chan's working at the kitchen." The tall brunette gave a deep breath of resignation, "Still, there's a chance he might finish up early, so I can hope for at least one dance."

"Well, you can mope all night if you want to. Me, I'm cutting loose." Minako rubbed her palms eagerly. "Mother's, lock up your boys, Mina-P is in party mood." She headed forward leaving her friends quite stunned.

"Andre-chan read some Roman mythology to me once, of how Venus never settled for **just one** love. Do you think—?"

"Just don't let Mina-chan know," Usagi warned, "I still remember that time she tried dating two guys at once all too well."

"At any rate," Mamoru said, "Let's go in, Setsuna-tachi must be waiting." As they went inside, out of the corner of his eye he noticed two cats sprint over the wall. Not only that, he also heard wings flutter. He thought about this. _Should I…Ie, better not haste. Besides, what's important now is Usako enjoying herself_. The future king dismissed his concerns as he pulled his wife closer beside him.

The outer senshi had been the first to arrive. Just as they had expected, Hotaru had protested a little about her attire, but not as long as everyone thought. She put it on and accompanied her parents with an unusual, albeit small, measure of confidence. The dark-haired girl had failed to hide her slight blushing however, and now, she just wanted to cast her silent shadow and get away. But since she was feeling so many eyes upon her, she was unable. They were amongst conversation when Reiko ran up to them.

"Konbanwa, minna-san," the redhead greeted cheerfully, "Hotaru-chan, you look great!"

"Arigato, but it's the dress what looks pretty. Setsuna-mama's the one you should be praising."

"Nonsense, Hime-chan," the emerald-haired woman corrected, "If a piece of cloth looks good, it is only because of the one who wears it."

"That's right," Michiru added, "Don't doubt it, Hime-chan. You look terrific."

"Arigato," she replied shyly. _By the silence, let me just vanish into thin air._

"Ah, just the person I was hoping to find," a male voice called out. Everyone turned and saw Allen Poe approaching. Beside him was a dark-skinned woman wearing a quite revealing dress, and a short man with white hair and thick glasses followed them both. "Miss Meioh, I'm so glad you and you family could make it."

"Konbanwa, Poe–san," Setsuna greeted back, "Allow me to introduce to you, Kaioh Michiru, Tenoh Haruka, Tomoe Hotaru and this is her friend Hibiki Reiko. Minna-san, these are Allen Poe and his fiancée, Kara Matthews."

"Did you say Tomoe?" The white-haired man got close to Hotaru and began to observe her closely, this bothered the pale girl and bothered Haruka even more.

"May I help you?" the latter protested.

"You must pardon Dr Hawkins," Poe apologized, "he usually acts that way when something really interests him."

"Yes, I'm sorry," Hawkins said a bit nervously before Haruka's presence, "It had been the child's name what caught my attention. And I also noticed how much she resembles Mrs. Tomoe."

"You knew Momma?" Hotaru asked as she shoved her way past Haruka.

"Not much really, but I did know your father, Souichi. We studied together and worked on a few projects together after graduation. We were a great team at times, whenever we didn't compete for recognition. But then we lost contact when he began his research on dimensional travel and I started on other projects under Mr. Poe's contract."

"Dimensional travel? Cool!" Reiko exclaimed, ignorant to Hotaru's history, "And what did you work on?"

"At first, cybernetics, joining flesh with machine. In fact, it was a project that Souichi and I had worked on for—"

"Gomen," Hotaru interrupted, "I need to be someplace else now." Without another word, she left, with Reiko following.

"Let me guess," Kara butted in, "Einstein here once again stuck his foot in his mouth."

"Umm, ie," Setsuna answered, "It's just that Hime-chan has a phobia against robots."

"That is curious," Poe commented, "Well, if you'll excuse me, I've got other guests to greet. And please tell young Miss Tomoe that I wish her well."

"We will," Michiru replied, "Arigato, Poe-san."

"I'll stay with Setsuna a while longer," Kara excused herself, "She must tell me about these outfits."

"Just don't expect me to make something like that," the emerald-haired woman responded.

"Very well," Poe said, "I'll come back for you later." Once they were a distance away, Poe spoke to the doctor. "Well Hawkins? What do you think about Miss Meioh?"

"She is quite a find, Sir," Hawkins said as he observed a hidden screen within his glasses, "However, you might want to see the results from observing the Tomoe child." Poe raised an eyebrow and turned towards Hotaru, who was a distance away. He chanted a light spell and his eyes went wide in surprise.

"Do you still think it was useless coming here, Hawkins? Call for Chris, Blaze and your assistants, I must have that girl."

"Right away, Mr. Poe, Sir."

From the top of a tall wall, right above a window, Luna listened to the music, wagging her tail to the rhythm.

"You know, Artemis-kun? Sometimes I wish we could just break the rules and go anywhere as humans along with Usagi-tachi. And the melody sounds so sweet," she added with a purr.

"Does that mean you're not mad at me anymore?" her white-furred mate asked.

"Ie, still." Artemis let out a sigh. Luna had found out about Karasu's identity shortly after the battle at Mugen's former grounds. Although she understood the need for secrecy, part of her was upset at her mate for keeping something from her.

"_It's nice that all five of us finally got a chance to be together_," Deimos said, "_Onee-chan and I were becoming a bit bored_…" The female crow ruffled her feathers and then shifted to her sprite form. "Kuso, I really need to practice."

"Guardian Kashaku told us this would take time," her crimson twin commented, "And you also think I'm boring?"

"Ie," the blue sprite defended, "It's just that among the two of us there's not much to—Guardian Kashaku, is everything all right?"

"_I still say the warrior is overexposing himself,_" Kashaku said gruffly, "_True, it would not be healthy for him to remain cloistered for too long. But if our enemy can manage to get control over an individual of his power—_"

"Kashaku-san, relax," Artemis told him, "First of all, we saw what happened when the whirlpool gang first tried that, Carlos-san will never allow anyone to control him. Second, the senshi are there, they'll take care no evil befalls him. Especially Hotaru-chan."

"Sir Artemis, could a bit of Princess Venus' be rubbing off on you?" Phobos questioned.

"They're friends," the cat pointed out firmly, "And I know neither of them have had many their entire lives."

"_That's an issue which also concerns me_," the guardian added, "_Lady Saturn._" The four other animals got closer with interest. "_It's her knowledge of the silent shadow. It is well known that mortal mages posses stealth spells, our present foes prove that. I've observed Lady Saturn during her practices, trying to figure out what sort of magic she uses, but there's no doubt, she makes use of the original silent shadow_."

"And there's something wrong with that?" Luna asked.

"_Not wrong, Lady Luna, it's just…_" Kashaku sighed. "_Maybe I should say nothing more._"

"Kashaku-san!" the black cat scolded, "You can't keep this a secret now, we'll all become sick with worry."

"Ara!" Phobos gasped, "Now I remember, mortals are supposed to be unable to use the silent shadow."

"Hai," Deimos seconded, snapping her fingers, "Umm, why is that again?"

"It's a technique exclusive to the undead." Both cats jaw-dropped when they heard this.

"Matte, Hotaru-chan cannot be such a thing, Luna-chan and I would sniff it out instantly."

"_Indeed, she is very much alive. Which makes this situation… Something troubles the warrior._"

"Something wrong?" the blue sprite inquired.

"_I don't know. Wait here for me._"

"Hotaru-chan, someday you're going to tell me about this thing you've got towards robots."

"They bring back bad memories, Reiko-san, let's just leave it at that." The redhead nodded, she looked up and her eyes lit up.

"Well I see something that will cheer you up instantly." Hotaru raised her head and saw Carlos. As expected, his entire suit was black, shirt, tie and suit. Not a spot of color on him. He tried to approach the pair with confidence, but wasn't expecting his friend to look like that.

"Hotaru you…well, you look, uh…" The dark-haired girl's head went down timidly. His words had been quite clear, to one who knows how to listen.

"You look great, sempai," Reiko greeted, "Although the rugged hunk look suits you better, ne Hotaru-chan?"

"Reiko-san! So, Carlos-san, are you enjoying yourself so far?"

"Not so much really, and I'm glad to find some familiar faces," the undead teen said, "I was starting to regret coming here."

"I know what you mean," Reiko said, "The food's good, the music's nice, but this is a place for older folks. Now that I think about it, coming here wasn't such a hot idea after all."

"By the way, how did you get here?" Hotaru wondered, "You didn't mention coming here when we went to see you this afternoon."

"Ie. But my uncle's dentist play doubles at tennis at a country club. His regular partner has a cousin whose best friend is a lawyer. That lawyer works at a firm and one of his partners is client to this big shot accountant. Who was owed a favor by the guy who does the booking here. So here I am."

"Uh, hai, that explains it."

"_Señorita _Hino's father works in politics, right? Maybe you could teach us how to move some strings in our benefit."

"Don't even think about it," Hotaru warned, emphasizing each word. The trio laughed a while, and went on to talk about other nonsense. Reiko perked up when she heard the music change to a more cheerful tempo.

"It may still be classic, but there's a tune I could definitely move my feet to." She turned to Carlos. "Wanna dance, sempai?"

"_Qué?_" The boy cursed mentally, he was hoping to make it through this event without going near the dance floor. Although deep inside he was hoping to do so, just not with Reiko. "I guess so."

"Good." The redhead reached out and shoved her friend towards the black-clad boy. "You two have fun while I get something to eat. Ta-ta." The pair just stood there, holding each other.

"Quite the matchmaker, isn't she?"

"Hai," Hotaru agreed, "She could teach Mina-san a thing or two." She blushed a bit when she noticed the position they were in. The undead teen couldn't do so, but felt the same way. They looked at each other in awkward silence.

"So, umm, do you want to?"

"Don't look now, Carlos-san," the girl said in an amused tone, "But we already are."

"_Qué?_" Indeed, somehow they both had moved to the center of the room and were dancing in perfect synch to the melody. He wanted to say something, but instead held her arms in the proper way. She just smiled back, there was no need for words.

"I must admit, Poe-san is quite a character, as well as Matthews-san," Michiru commented as she sipped her drink, "Yet, for some reason they make the hair in the back of my neck stand up." She thought about this but quickly rejected the idea that was forming. She **had** to learn to be more trustful. Lucky for her, a sigh from Haruka caught her attention. The aqua-haired woman looked up and noticed the sand-blonde was staring at something. She followed her line of vision and saw Carlos and Hotaru dancing. "Haruka, please don't say anything negative, please."

"The look in her eyes."

"Nani?"

"The look in Hime-chan's eyes," Haruka repeated, "It's rare, but I've seen it many times before. In Usagi-chan when she's with Mamoru-kun; in Mako-chan when she and Shigeru-san are together." She turned to her love. "And in your eyes, whenever you look at me." She shook her head sadly. "There's no way I can stop them, ne?" Michiru chuckled and gave Haruka a kiss.

"How about, for once we stop worrying about the young ones, and just follow their example?" As a response, Haruka took Michiru's hand and led her to the dance floor. She gave her one more kiss before starting to dance.

Hotaru looked around to see who else was dancing. Sure enough, there were Usagi and Mamoru. She looked around a little longer and found Minako with some guy she picked up, and so was Reiko. Last, she saw her parents, Haruka and Michiru. She made eye contact with the former and saw, contrary to what was expected, a look of approval. Hotaru gave a warm grin. Maybe that feud between her two loved ones was finally over. _Carlos-san a loved one!?_

"_Qué?_" Carlos came to a sudden halt, causing Hotaru to bump into him.

"Ouch. Carlos-san, why'd you stop?" The boy said nothing. "What's wrong?" He didn't reply, he just stormed out of there. Puzzled, and extremely worried, Hotaru followed.

"They just won't give me a chance, will they? The moment I find something good, something that makes me forget my pain, they show up and destroy it!" Carlos grabbed a rosebush and tore away some branches. The thorns bored deep into his hand.

"_Warrior, what troubles you?_" Kashaku asked as he landed. He glanced over the warrior's shoulder to see Hotaru coming. "_Lady Saturn, did something wrong occur?_"

"I don't know, Kashaku-san." She stood next to Carlos and noticed his bloody hand. "Baka! You might as well wear a sign that says you're Karasu no shi." Tenderly, she removed the thorny stems, the wounds sealed before she had a chance to use her power. "Now calm down and tell us what's wrong."

"They're here, the ones that killed my family."

"Nani?" "Caw?"

"One of them at least." He turned. "Look inside." Hotaru did so and saw Kara talking with Setsuna. For a moment she was at a loss, but then her eyes went wide with recognition as she recalled her dreams.

"Chikuso, she's—!"

"_Acting here would cause a panic, Warrior_," the crow warned, "_Subdue your anger before it blinds you!_"

"I'm not that stupid, Kashaku," Carlos growled, "Besides, I can't do a thing against her."

"_Yes, that is very true._"

"Nani? What do you mean? Why can't you attack Kara?"

"Give me your hand." Hotaru did so and stared at the mocha-skinned woman once more. Here eyes went even wider.

"Ara!" She shook her head. "Still, we must do something, this concerns both our parties. I'll get Setsuna-mama and the others, you… I really hate it when he does that."

Far below the balcony, among the grass where Carlos' blood had dripped, something began to grow.

"Seriously, Kara-san," Setsuna said, "I simply can't fathom your reasons for showing up in public dressed like that."

"I feel comfortable with my body," the other woman responded, "What's the point of being gorgeous if you keep it hidden?"

"The point is, discretion. I know that a good attire must attract attention, but not morbidity."

"Setsuna-mama," Hotaru interrupted, "I need to talk to you, now."

"You're Hotaru, right?" Kara asked, "What do you think, does it really matter if an outfit shows too much skin?" She glimpsed at the girl's back, "My, my, look at who I'm asking."

"Uh, I'm too young for that subject." It was hard to act naturally, now that she knew this woman was a murderer. "Setsuna-mama, now!"

"Matte, Hime-chan, what is it?" The girl could never answer, for at that moment something crashed through the windows. After the initial confusion, everyone turned to see what it was. A multi-headed plant youma, roots for legs and vines instead of arms. It had been dormant for years until Carlos' undead blood awoke it. Even with all she had witnessed and done, Kara was frozen.

"Let's go!" Allen called out as he grabbed his lover. Hotaru and Setsuna pretended to follow but then sidetracked to find their princess. Kara and Poe were almost at the door when a panicked woman got in front of them.

"Help me! Get me out of here!"

"Foolish woman, get out of our—" Suddenly, Poe went into a coughing fit. Kara tried to carry her lover out to safety, but the other one just kept being an obstacle. So the dark-haired one pulled out a gun.

"Out of our way!" Kara ordered as she shot the woman's head. "Now, let's get you somewhere safe."

"Get me to the compound," Poe ordered through coughs, "we need to get the others. Now!"

Still inside, the youma was ensnaring the slow escapees and draining from their life force. Usagi met with the others elsewhere and immediately henshined.

"Eternal moon power, make up!" Everyone else followed suit. "All of us came here tonight, looking for a chance to forget and escape our troubled lives. You broke that sweet illusion and for doing so, in the name of the Moon, we will punish you!"

"Sailor Venus, Uranus, Saturn, you three help us with the youma," Tuxedo Kamen ordered, "The rest of you, get the people to safety."

"I'll go check on Andre-chan," Jupiter announced, "I'll catch up with you later." She sprinted towards the kitchen.

"Right!" Mercury answered, "Let's go!"

Sailor Mars headed for Reiko who was wrapped up in a vine.

"Fire soul!" The flame cut through with ease, releasing the girl. The fire senshi stood between monster and victim and threw a burning Mandala. "There, now let's get you to—" Something in her head snapped, she spun to see two spear-like branches head towards her! She would've surely been skewered, if Karasu hadn't showed up with his katana.

"And I thought you had a sixth sense to avoid these things."

"Cut the sarcasm, kabuki," Mars retorted, "help us get these people out."

"You're the protector, Mars, me," he rubbed his thumb against the weapon's edge, "I'm the destroyer."

"Che. You okay little girl?"

"Hai, domo arigato, Sailor Mars," Reiko said as she stood up wobbly, "Where are my friends? They were here a moment ago!"

"They're fine," the fire senshi assured, "Now get out of here."

"Right," the redhead made her way out, "Be sure to trash that thing." Mars wondered for a moment why Reiko didn't seem weakened at all, but quickly placed her attention on more urgent matters.

Karasu leapt towards the youma, slicing everything in his path. His plan was to get its full attention while the people got out, and it was working. But the undead warrior underestimated the beast, it was a lot stronger than the shrews at the warehouse. Four branches went into his chest, and he was sent away from there, landing at Sailor Saturn's feet.

"Karasu, are you all right?" the silent senshi asked with worry, not caring what the others would think.

"Just fine," he said as he yanked the branches out.

"Lesson one, kabuki," Uranus mocked, "It's better to use attacks from a distance against certain types of foes."

"I'll remember that next time we face each other."

"Cut it out you two!" Sailor Moon scolded, "It's getting away." Now that most of the people had left or had been drained, and with so many adversaries around; the youma had decided to make a run for it. "Come on! We mustn't let it loose in the city."

It moved quite fast for a plant, within seconds they were far away from the resort, leaping from rooftop to rooftop. Sailor Venus, Uranus and Karasu kept up with it easily. The two senshi used their attacks against it while he used his guns. But neither seemed to take effect.

__

Remember how you shot the drone in the mouth, pendejo. Use your head. "Kashaku! Is that building up ahead empty?" The guardian, who was soaring high above with the twins, went ahead and scanned the construction.

"_There are no human mortals inside._"

"Good." Karasu took an explosive from his belt and threw it to the window with all of his strength. The explosion caused a large section of the building to fall right on top of the youma, causing it to land on top of a department store. All that concrete on its head had hurt, but it would not stop it. It dug its way out, planning to find the one who did this and ripping his or head off. Instead, it saw Eternal Sailor Moon, with her power tier extended.

"Silver Moon, crystal power kiss!" Karasu no shi, watched as the beast was blasted away. He gave a long whistle.

"_Órale_! One thing's for sure, I don't want to be at the wrong end of that attack."

"Does that mean you're fighting with us?" the princess asked hopefully.

"Not against you, that's all I'm saying," he replied with a grin. Which faded once a glaring Uranus got between them.

"Step away from the princess, kabuki," the wind senshi warned.

"Uranus! Are you oblivious to the fact he helped us?"

"And this doesn't seem like the time to argue," Venus interjected, "Take a look behind." All three did so and saw Tuxedo Kamen, and the rest of the senshi, fighting the largest drone swarm they had ever seen.

"Ara!" Sailor Moon exclaimed, "What's the meaning of this?"

"It means, I want my prey now."

They turned again and saw the whirlpool gang standing in the hole the explosion had caused. Chris, Blaze, Kara and a non-descript man with long hair, cloak and a medallion. His face was hidden by shadows.

"All drones, target the Karasu," he commanded with a thunderous voice, "NOW!"


	16. Death and Rebirth 16

****

Death and Rebirth

Chapter sixteen:

"Shabon spray freezing!" Once the drones were grounded, Sailor Saturn charged, slicing all of them in half.

"This is useless," the amethyst-eyed senshi exclaimed, "For each one we knock down, two of them take its place!"

"Don't give up, Saturn," Tuxedo Kamen shouted as he threw a shower of exploding roses, "Their number can't be infinite."

"Besides," Pluto added as she whacked one with her staff, "We're not the ones they're after."

"Ebon shears!"

"World shaking!" A dozen more drones bit the dust. "Get the hell out of here!" Uranus yelled at Karasu, "You're putting the princess in danger!"

"Shut up before I throw you at them! In case you haven't noticed, you precious princess is strong enough to fend for her own. So put that machete to good use and hack some bugs!"

"That's not the point, kabuki," the wind senshi added as she beheaded a drone, "Sailor Moon is our leader, we follow and protect her."

"Follow?" he glanced at the whirlpool gang, "Of course! The hippie is the _hijo de perra _the drones are following!" Without another word, he leapt towards Allen Poe.

"He's a lot smarter than I gave him credit for," the warlock observed, "but not much. Chris, intercept."

"Glad to," the cyborg replied as he charged. Both fighters collided in midair. "Get ready mime, 'cause this time you're really gonna get yours!"

"I heard that one before," Karasu responded with a haymaker, "This fight is between you and me, leave the senshi out of this. AARGH!"

"Everything in this city concerns those broads," Chris declared as gore dripped from his talons, "Rest assured, I was already planning some quality time with each of them."

"Everyone but the blondes," Blaze yelled as he jumped down and threw Karasu a fireball, "those are mine!" The undead warrior got up, the slashes in his belly and burns on his face disappearing.

"The only sure things in your futures are your deaths." He pulled out his guns and fired, the ebon shears would be too fast. "Afterwards, I'm finding out who the hell your boss is!"

"Blah, blah, blah." Blaze threw a barrage at the boy. He in turn drew out his katana and sliced each flaming sphere as he charged. When he got close to the redhead, he gave him a roundhouse kick, knocking him down. This move however, left him defenseless against Chris. The cyborg raised both his arms and pounded on Karasu's back. Chris' talons extended to six inches.

"If only the boss didn't want you alive—"

"Supreme thunder!" Chris was blasted away from there. "Sorry I'm late, but it looks like I got here just in time." She glimpsed overhead and saw the armored-up Kara heading towards Sailor Moon. "Sparkling wide pressure!"

"NO!" Karasu tackled Jupiter, deflecting the lethal blast.

"Why did you do that!?"

"We can't let Kara get hurt," the warrior explained, "She—UNNGH!" Chris crept from behind and drilled his arm through Karasu's chest. And if that wasn't enough, he pulled him over the edge. Sailor Jupiter tried to catch them, but was detained by Blaze.

Sailor Moon knelt trying to catch her breath, she'd used her attack too often tonight, too quickly.

"I should really get my tiara back," she said between gasps, "I'd feel a lot less useless."

"Relax, Sailor Moon, we're almost done with these pests. Venus love and beauty shock!"

"Silence wall!" Three drones smashed into the barrier, the same as flies against a windshield. Saturn had come to help Karasu, but her sense of duty made her stay with her liege.

"Keep the force field around the princess, Saturn," Uranus ordered, "while we take care of the rest."

"I know what I have to do, Uranus! Don't waste—" The silent senshi caught something out of the corner of her eye. "CARLOS!" She bolted away from her friends' side.

"Nani?" the wind senshi turned to see an impaled Karasu no shi fall off the side of the building and a frantic Sailor Saturn following.

"Up here, my sweets," Kara taunted. The trio of blonde senshi looked up and was knocked out by three well-placed hits from a stun ray. "Now let's see, which one did Allen tell me to take?"

"I'm sure the boss won't mind if you're a little banged up," Chris chuckled as they fell, "See, I know that we'll both get through this."

"You might survive the fall," Karasu answered with a chilling voice, "but you're gonna need a _pinche_ overhaul for what's coming." Chris became puzzled. "Turn around."

Saturn watched in shock as a speeding truck hit the falling pair, sending them several meters ahead. The driver got off the vehicle to see what had happened, and once he caught he a glimpse of the senshi of destruction, he ran away as fast as he could. He didn't want anything to do with this. Once she landed, she ran to Karasu. His body twisted as his bones got back into place.

"Chikuso!" The silent senshi knelt and gently raised the wounded warrior's head. "Say something, Carlos, please, say something."

"6…85E…GH."

"Nani?" Karasu raised a finger and pointed. Saturn turned to see…the truck's license plates. "Baka!" she exclaimed as she burst out laughing, "Do you have any idea how scared I was?"

"Come on, admit it!" Karasu retorted, "It was a great punchline." A mechanical moaning and creaking caught their attention. "Now there's a sound I was hoping to hear." The undead warrior got up and walked towards Chris. Even though his body was severely damaged, flesh, bone and metal painfully twisted and his few entrails remaining formed a tangled mess with the many wires. The cyborg still managed to get on his feet. This sight frightened Saturn so much she was frozen in place.

"I've gained (ZZZT) so much, that there's (ZZZT) no more pain left." The maniac's voice sounded like a bad signal, "These (ZZZT) powers (ZZZT) leave nothing to miss (ZZZT) from my humanity." He raised his left hand and readied his gun. Karasu didn't have to move quickly in order to grab the limb and twist it away like aluminum wrap.

"You can't miss what you never had, Chris," the boy said menacingly.

"_Attention Warrior!_"

Karasu looked up to see a wasp drone land and dig its stinger into his chest! Chris was stunned for a while, but quickly realized his advantage. Three talons extended out of his working hand.

"Then I guess (ZZZT) you won't miss (ZZZT) having the upper hand."

"Ie!" Sailor Saturn charged suddenly and floored Chris with a roundhouse kick. He tried getting up again but the glaive was being held towards his neck. She glimpsed at Karasu out of the corner of her eye. Kashaku had taken care of the wasp and was now pecking its head off.

"Karasu! Are you all right?"

"Fine, the sting just made me a little woozy," he answered as he got up wobbly. Saturn looked up and saw the rest of the senshi running up towards them. Perhaps Sailor Mercury could diagnose something with her computer. But then she noticed the frantic look in their eyes. The silent senshi looked behind and saw something that infuriated her. The dark stranger was holding Sailor Moon hostage.

"I believe the time has come for negotiation." Poe hovered magically as he held an unconscious princess within black rings. Beside him, two blue flier drones held Uranus and Venus, who were also faint. "All I want is the Karasu and my employee. Let me have them and I'll release the hostages, otherwise fine, the Moon princess in a fair enough prize."

"We don't negotiate with terrorist," Tuxedo Kamen shouted furiously, "Release my wife, NOW!" He stepped forward and gunshot at his feet halted him.

"I wouldn't do anything stupid, darling," Kara warned, "Believe me when I say: where my sight goes, the bullet follows." The Earth prince tightened the grip on his cane. Maybe if they gave Mercury some time, she could plan something. But this man was not going to wait, he could tell. There were no options visible, but he couldn't hand over Karasu. Usako would never forgive him if he took that decision.

"I'm throwing my weapons," Karasu announced as he took off his coat and belt, "Just make sure Sailor Moon and the others are unharmed." He hated doing this, but he couldn't risk Sailor Moon's life. He was not going to let others suffer because of his mission. Under normal conditions he could have beaten the hippie, but right now the poison had weakened him.

"Ie, Carlos-san."

"_Warrior, you cannot give in to that fiend!_"

"You'd rather I give up that future you've told me about?" The bird said nothing.

A flier landed in front of Saturn, it didn't attack, it just waited for her to let Chris go.

"(ZZZT) Sorry babe, I guess (ZZZT) you lost (ZZZT)," the cyborg mocked as he tried to brush his foot against the senshi's leg. Saturn growled in disgust as she stepped away. The drone picked up the broken man and took him to his leader.

"Are you ready to go yet?" Poe asked.

The undead teen picked up Kashaku and handed him to Saturn.

"Kashaku and I are linked," he told her, "Don't worry. I know you'll be able to find me before long." Not waiting for a reply, he leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek. Saturn just gasped as he stepped away. "I'm ready," Karasu called, letting his katana drop, "Don't keep me waiting."

Poe chuckled, he twirled his fingers and black rings appeared around the undead warrior, lifting and robbing him of his consciousness.

"You gave me what I wanted, now I will honor my side of the bargain." The warlock snapped his fingers and the senshi fell.

"IE!"

"Shabon spray!" The bubbles flew up and caught the falling blondes. Everyone ran up to them, relieved that they were all right. Such relief was short-lived though.

"Matte!" Neptune yelled, "They still have Venus."

"You gave me back two, I give you back two," Poe cackled, "Sayonara." His cruel laughter filled the air as they all teleported away.

"Kashaku, go search for Carlos," Saturn yelled to the bird on her arms.

"Caw!"

"Phobos, Deimos, assist the guardian!" Sailor Mars ordered.

"Caw!" "Caw!"

Sailor Saturn sighed sadly. She changed back into Hotaru and picked up the black katana. "What now?" she asked Mamoru. The black-haired man looked at the odango-headed blonde in his arms. She was still unconscious, but unharmed. He had to be thankful for that.

"We wait," he said simply.

Hikawa Shrine

It was nearly 5:00 in the morning; the sun still hadn't risen. None of the senshi had been able to sleep, as they all thought how defenseless they'd been made, and how their princess had been taken hostage so easily. Usagi had woken up a moment ago, and was being told the whole story. Meanwhile, Rei was waiting by the open door for the twins to return.

"Any sign of them," Ami asked as she knelt next to the maiden.

"Ie, and I'm getting a little worried," the raven-haired girl replied, "I don't mean to underestimate them, but our enemy is too strong, and to me they always seemed so…so fragile."

"They'll be all right, Rei-chan," the azure-haired girl gave her friend an assuring hug, "Just stay calm."

"Caw." Both girls looked up and saw the twins approach. They landed and immediately slumped on the floor.

"Poor things, you're completely exhausted!" Rei exclaimed as she picked one of them up. "How's Deimos-chan?"

"Eto," Ami had to figure out how Rei could tell them apart. She checked on the bird in her arms. Her eyes were closed, her neck was loose and her breathing shallow yet regular. "I'm not a veterinarian, but I guess all they need is some rest." She ran her hand down Deimos' back. "Let's get inside."

"So he gave himself up in order to free us," Usagi concluded, "But Mina-chan is still being held by that madman."

"Hai, and there's no telling what those sickos might do to her," Makoto growled. Shigeru was behind her, trying to relax her with a shoulder massage, only it wasn't working. "If I ever get my hands on that little hentai…ugh." Hotaru had healed the bruises, but her ego was still hurt.

"Take it easy, Mako-chan, you still have to figure out how to find him," her fiancé reminded, "Besides, I want a piece of him too." His beloved had described a **very **detailed battle.

"Please, not so loud," Haruka said all of a sudden. Everyone present turned towards her and Michiru got closer.

"You're back with us know?" the violinist asked as she caressed her love's face sweetly.

"Hai, I'm fine," the sand-blonde answered as she sat up abruptly, "The princess, how is she?"

"I'm fine, Haruka-kun. Who should concern you know is Mina-chan and Carlos-kun."

"The gaijin," Haruka grumbled. She turned to Rei and Ami and saw the crows in their arms. "Navarro is Karasu no shi, ne?"

"Hai," the maiden admitted, "And he's been hiding here the last few days."

"And you didn't tell anyone?" Haruka exploded, "Do you see what your carelessness nearly caused?" Rei stepped back and Phobos shook in her hands.

"Haruka, you're just looking for a scapegoat," Setsuna scolded, "I knew of Carlos-san's identity as well. If you want to vent your anger on someone, it should be me." The sand-blonde said nothing, she scanned the room to see who else was missing.

"Where's Hime-chan?"

"At the temple entrance," Mamoru responded, "She took this pretty hard, so we decided to leave her alone for now."

"She'll have time to be alone after I'm done with her," Haruka got up and headed outside.

"Matte, Haruka-kun, Hotaru-chan already feels guilty enough. She doesn't need you to—"

"Let her go, Mamoru-san," Michiru said quietly.

"Nani?"

"Haruka and I have always learned through bad choices, and she's a slower learner than I." The aqua-haired woman looked up. "I glimpsed at Hime-chan while on our way here. Believe me, it will be Haruka who'll receive the worst part."

Hotaru stood under the tori petting Kashaku.

"So there's no sign of him?"

"_None. We should have known it would turn out like this. If the enemy can cloak itself, it makes sense that their prisoners become so._"

"I'll find him, Kashaku-san, I will. And if he's hurt in any way…" She knelt and picked up a loose slab from the floor. Her eyes glowed as she crushed it with one hand. The crow gulped after seeing this.

"Hime-chan," Hotaru turned and saw Haruka approach. Kashaku flew to a safer place. "You've got a lot to answer for."

"Skip the baby name, Haruka, I know you're too angry to use it."

"Very well, Hotaru. What were you thinking? Abandoning your princess just like that."

"I didn't abandon anyone! All the contrary, I ran over to help a friend."

"It doesn't matter!" the older woman continued, "Your duty as a senshi goes before everything else and you neglected it. For someone who's already dead, for crying out loud."

"Oh, then if Carlos-san was still alive it would have been okay." Hotaru snapped her fingers. "Oh, I forgot, he's a gaijin, he can go to hell then, ne?"

"Drop the sarcasm, now! What matters is, you left us at the hands of our foes."

"What if it had been Michiru-mama?"

"Nani?"

"What if Michiru-mama had been in Carlos-san's place and you in mine? You would have acted the same way."

"Michiru and I made an agreement, long before meeting you. We agreed on what our priorities should be."

"Yeah right, duties as a senshi. Having Michiru-mama makes it so easy for you to say!"

"Nani?"

"The rest of us are torn by choosing between heart and duty, you two cheated, you have each other. Oh sure, it's easy to follow the rules when there's no need to choose."

"But—"

"And don't talk to me about rules. Whenever someone does something you don't agree with you blab all that duty crap. Even Usagi-san, if she doesn't do what a princess is supposed to, you let her know immediately."

"Hotaru—"

"But what happens when **you** break the rules? You never let anyone know about your plans or intentions, you go against everyone's trust time and time again. But it's okay, why? Because you do it all for the princess."

"Tomoe Hotaru, that's enough!" the racer shouted. Instead of stopping, the pale girl stepped towards her guardian.

"You're nothing but a bigot and a hypocrite of the worst degree! You don't care about anyone but yourself! Well hear this, I'm letting you know my choice now, I choose Carlos."

"Are you forsaking your princess!?" the sand-blonde asked furiously.

"Ie, Haruka, the only one who deserves to be forsaken is you."

That did it, Haruka gave Hotaru the fiercest slap ever. But once she did so, she couldn't believe it. How could she let her anger out like this? She gulped when she saw the bruise forming on her daughter's cheek, and trembled when she looked into her eyes. Not because of tears, there were none, but because they had turned cold, colder than Saturn's.

"Don't worry, Haruka, I was expecting this," the violet-eyed girl said with eerie calmness, "Violence has always been your answer to everything. And me (chuckle), well, we all know who you always wanted to destroy." Hotaru turned away and started climbing down the stairs. Seconds passed before Haruka could finally react.

"Matte!" She ran down. "Gomen nasai, Hime-chan." She placed her hands on Hotaru's shoulders, but the girl twisted away.

"I hate you."

Haruka Tenoh could do nothing but watch as her daughter vanished in the distance. _I'm doing it again. _She fell back on the stone steps. _Haruka no baka, you're hurting her again. _She went back to the temple, burdened by a sadness that no one, not even her ocean princess, could relieve her of.

Whirlpool compound:

Sailor Venus opened her eyes. The bright lights hurt, so she closed them again. Blinking, she let her sight adjust as she tried to remember what had happened. She tried to move, but her arms and legs were fastened to some surface. Her head was free, so she turned to see Karasu being held next to her. And beyond was the white-haired man with coke-bottle glasses she'd seen at the party.

"Hey! Where are we, baka? Who are you and what are you going to do to us?" Hawkins growled and stopped the recorder he held on his hand. Slowly, he walked up to the senshi of love.

"Five times I've tried to record the events that have occurred in proper chronological order. The boy here," he pointed at Karasu, "interrupted me four times. You've committed the fifth. And I'm in no mood for a sixth!" He stepped away fuming while Venus stared at him sweat-dropping.

"Ara, this guy is definitely anal retentive."

"You think?" Karasu asked sarcastically, "I don't even think this guy has a rectum." Sailor Venus couldn't help laughing, neither could Kara and Blaze, who'd just entered the room following Allen Poe.

"You see, carrot-top," the mocha-skinned woman pointed out, "that was clever and funny."

"Humor aside please," Poe requested, "Hawkins, what have you found out?"

"It's amazing! The karasu's healing ability is even faster than I thought, both bone and muscle density are many times greater than normal, he's got ten nerve ending where there should only be one and impulses travel a lot faster through them. As for the other subject, I've been trying to break through the senshi's energy mask. No sort of camera can register a properly focused image, and somehow, all facial features are immediately forgotten the moment one turns away. I'll try to see if she generates a sort of hypnotic—"

"As useful as knowing more about the senshi might be," the warlock interrupted, "all that I'm interested in right now is the karasu."

"I'm sorry, Mister Poe, Sir. But I would have to move him to a better equipped lab in order to get more information and I assumed you wanted to meet him here first." Poe nodded.

"Leave us, I want a word with these two." Everyone did so without questioning. Once the door closed, Karasu spoke.

"Who are you, _pinche, pendejo, hijo de perra_?"

"You can't tell? I suppose your intelligence shows up only in the midst of battle." Poe approached the warrior and whispered into his ear. "I'm the one who made you. A year ago, when your family was murdered, I'm the one who gave the order." Karasu roared and tossed, trying to break free from his bonds. He wanted to tear the man's throat, pull out his tongue and perform all sorts of torture upon him.

"Temper, temper," Poe mocked, "But let us introduce each other properly, I am—"

"You're Allen Poe," Venus spat, "Founder of 'Dark Feather', one of the richest men in the world and a philanthropist with a heart of gold. Or so you make the world believe," she added through grinding teeth.

"Correct. And you are Sailor Venus, the senshi of love and beauty, while you are called Karasu no shi." Poe narrowed his eyes. "Known in life as Carlos Navarro." The boy's eyes darkened even more. "You shouldn't be surprised," the warlock continued, "I always keep a record of everyone that concerns my interest."

"And what are your interests?" the warrior growled, "For what twisted reason did you destroy my life?"

"So you would become what you are now. I know that the crow is an avenging spirit, but there's no way of knowing who will become one. So I investigate several individuals through scanning devices, research their lives, evaluate their readings and condemn them to your same fate. For example, that green-haired girl you saved at the theater the other night, her background made her one of the best candidates to become a crow."

__

Saori-chan. "So you are the one who set those machines at the hospital and that bar. You chose those places because people with a dark history and darker attitudes made better candidates. No offense, Karasu."

"Let me guess the rest," Karasu asked, "Now that you have me, you're gonna have that nerd study me, create some sort of undead soldier, use it along with the drones and conquer the world."

"Conquer the world?" Poe's eyes widened in genuine surprise. He threw his head back and laughed. "That sounds like the plot of a bad spy movie. No, the drones are simply a project I shall sell to the military in the near future. My motives are simpler. Since I was a teenager I worked my way up from mediocrity, creating the vast economical empire I now posses. I've won fortune, power, admiration and fear." His mood went serious, "But then I learned a rule, you can't take it with you."

"So you're not going to leave at all," the blonde senshi guessed, "What you want is to become immortal!" Poe smirked at Venus' wit. Suddenly, he fell to the floor with a coughing fit. Both heroes watched in amazement as his sideburns turned white.

"Precisely," he wheezed, "Through the decades, I studied the magical arts and became an archmage." The pain he was going through was evident as he struggled to get back on his feet. "I devised several methods in order to extend my life, but none proved to last. Then I found out about the crow, a nearly invincible fighter. That's when I realized, the only way to defeat death, is to go beyond it." He looked at Karasu straight in the eye. "That is the reason I created you, to become what you are. And you're correct in believing that, I don't care how many lives had to die in order for you to appear."

"If I didn't know the damage you would do with this power," the warrior said with an infernal voice, "I'd gladly give it to you. This isn't eternal life, it's a perpetual death. And no one deserves it more than you!"

"Perhaps, but it is what I want." Poe turned and headed for the door. "I'll leave you in Hawkins' hands now. Don't worry, he's a very capable professional, and sadist." The door slid open and he was surprised to see Kara waiting outside, lucky for him the room was soundproof. "My dear, what are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to see Karasu up close, not to mention Sailor Venus. She's my favorite of the senshi."

"Step inside then. Just don't take too long, Hawkins and his assistants will be here shortly," he reminded her as he left.

"As far as I'm concerned, the nerd can wait." The dark-haired woman walked up and stood in front of Venus. "Exquisite, I really shouldn't let Blaze get his hands on you. But frankly, I pity the poor guy." She reached up to caress the blonde's cheek, the latter jerked away. "I guess a little kiss is out of the question then." The senshi of love glared at the woman. "What? You don't like girls?"

"I don't mind the fact that we are both women," Venus explained, "It is you, the person you are, that disgusts me." Kara took hold of Venus' face with both hands and forced her to look forward.

"I've been waiting for this chance a long time. So I don't care what you think, I'm having those lips."

"Is there a reason for your being here, Kara?" Karasu shouted, "Other than being a pain in the ass?" Kara sighed, stopping just before the kiss took place.

"Yes, there is a reason." She left Venus alone and stood in front of Karasu. "When I first saw you, you didn't shoot me down, even though you had a clear shot. And last night, you saved me from Sailor Jupiter's attack." Kara Matthews gave the warrior a determined stare. "I want to know why." The undead teen remained silent a moment then closed his eyes and answered.

"I came back in order to obtain vengeance. To destroy those who wrecked my life. The only thing that can protect someone from my wrath is the amount of innocence possessed, and a lot is coming from you."

"Innocence?" The woman cackled in disbelief. "How could you possibly conclude that I am innocent? Do you have any idea how many lives and families I've ruined, before and after I met Allen?"

"The innocence comes from your body but not from you," Karasu replied calmly. His dark eyes opened slowly. "It comes from the life growing inside you."

Hotaru walked aimlessly within the city of Tokyo. She wasn't sure whether she was still in Juban or not. She didn't even know how long she'd been walking. Minutes, hours, most of the day? Frankly, she didn't care at all. She was too worried about Carlos and too angry at Haruka. In fact, she felt angry at everyone for no reason.

"Caw." Hotaru looked up, maybe there were a few she could still trust. Kashaku landed on her shoulder. "_Lady Saturn, you didn't really mean the words you attacked Lady Uranus with, did you?_"

"Probably not, but it's the way I'm feeling right now." The dark-haired girl took a deep breath. "And I don't want to talk about this until much later."

"_Why not talk about it now?_"

"What's important at this moment is finding Carlos-san and Mina-san," she said firmly. They walked quietly for a while, ignoring the people looking at them.

"_You're really worried about the warrior, aren't you?_"

"Hai."

"_I dare say more worried than I am._" The bird hopped from the girl's shoulder to her arm. He looked at her straight in the eye. "_Your feelings for him are strong, that fact might work to our benefit._"

"Nani? What are you planning, Kashaku-san?"

"_The warrior told the truth when he said that he and I are connected. But we forgot that you are connected to him as well_."

"A connection?"

"_It was created the night you found him_." He hopped back to her shoulder. "_If we concentrate together, there's a chance we might break through our enemy's defense_."

"Good idea," Hotaru admitted, "let's go for it!" She hurried into a secluded alley. Making sure there was no one watching, they cleared their minds and tried to concentrate

"_Our chances for success will be greater if you admit your true feelings for the warrior, Lady Saturn._"

"Don't start, Kashaku-san," the girl said, blushing slightly, "Let's just find Carlos-san, okay?" Both earthling girl and Coronis-born crow closed their eyes. They cleared their minds and formed an image of Carlos Navarro.

"YAHH!" "CAW!" Both girl and bird fell to the floor.

"What happened?" Hotaru was holding her head and breathing heavily. "I was beginning to picture Carlos-san in my mind when I felt something striking me."

"_I know,_" Kashaku answered as he shook away his headache, "_It was a psychic cannon. I might be jumping to conclusions. But I believe we were detected and expelled by whomever holds the warrior and Lady Venus._"

"So if we try again, we'll just get blasted once more." The dark-haired girl gave a long whistle. "This guy is much too strong."

"_Indeed_," the crow accepted, "_However, I did manage to determine a direction_." He flew out of their hiding place and landed on a mailbox, his head pointing westward. The violet-haired girl went up to look as well.

"The only thing I can see is that tower and—" Hotaru went blank and slapped herself in the face. "By the silence, I am the world's biggest baka!"

"Caw?" Once again, Hotaru bolted away. "_Lady Saturn, wait! Where are you going?_"

"I know where they're holding Carlos-san and Mina-san!"

Minutes later, they were standing a few blocks away from 'Dark Feather' tower. It was hard for Hotaru to find somewhere with no people so close to the place. After all, a thin girl lifting a manhole lid so easily can get your attention.

"_Lady Saturn, are you certain of this?_"

"If I'm wrong, then I own the world's perfect tan. Kara is a member of the whirlpool gang and she's engaged to Allen Poe. The drones, the gizmo Ami-san found, the technology that transformed Chris, all of that requires money." She pointed at the building. "And he has it."

"_It makes sense_," Kashaku admitted. "_But if this is indeed our enemy's nest, shouldn't you call the other senshi for help_."

"I don't need any help," Hotaru stated harshly, "especially not Haruka's."

"_I understand that you are still upset at Lady Uranus. But going there alone is dangerous_."

"I am the senshi of destruction. What can be more dangerous than that?" The girl stepped inside the manhole. "So, are you coming?"

"_Me? Er, well, _(ahem) _I suppose_." Kashaku hopped up to her shoulder and she started to climb down. "_It's not so bad down there after all. Sewers have long corridors, nice, long and ample corridors. And very, very low ceilings._"

"Ouch! Kashaku, you're digging your claws into me!"

"Caw!" The crow flapped his wings violently and flew outside as fast as he could. When Hotaru climbed out, he was shivering. "_I'm sorry, Lady Saturn, I—_"

"You're claustrophobic, ne?" Kashaku lowered his head in shame. "It's okay, it's nothing to be embarrassed about," she assured him as she petted his head, "You wait here, I'll go on alone."

"_Lady Saturn, wait! What if something happens?_" Hotaru sighed in resignation.

"One hour, if we're not back in one hour, you can call on the rest of the senshi." _Although I don't think that will happen._

Hotaru finally reached the end of the stairs and hopped down to the floor. The place was dark, damp, smelly and just plain nauseating, but she was oblivious to all this.

"Saturn crisis power, make up!" Sailor Saturn summoned the silence glaive and created a ball of light to guide her way. She had a mission and more than enough determination to accomplish it.

Whirlpool compound:

"While the usual dosage effectively neutralizes the subject's offensive abilities," Hawkins spoke into the recorder, "It doesn't seem to have any effect on its 'cloak'. There is a possibility that a larger dose might dissolve it, but it may also end the subject's life, with he result of angering Mr. Poe." Sailor Venus waited for the doctor to finish, not because of courtesy, but because his complaints were quite annoying.

"I'm not trying to make friends here, but I would really appreciate it if you didn't refer to me as: subject."

"Anything that I investigate or work on is a subject," Hawkins stated matter-of-factly, "And it is a much better naming that all the ones I was given in my younger years."

"Why doesn't that surprise me? Look, you can't win. We, the Sailor Senshi, never abandon one of our own. They'll be here in less time that you could possibly imagine." Venus narrowed her eyes. "Sailor Moon is quite merciful, but I'm warning you, you might be testing her limit." The doctor responded with a very nasal cackle.

"They will never find this place. All energy emitted from this location, heat, electric, sonic or 'mystic', is kept hidden by a device designed by me and aided by Mr. Poe's abilities." He calmed down and went to his computer again. "Speaking of which, the amount of energy you posses is significant. I must plan on how to make proper use of it afterwards."

"Hey Doc!" Blaze shouted as he barged inside, "You done with the broad yet? 'Cause I'm not planning to wait much longer." He stared at Venus who was giving him a look he'd received so many times before. "You got the right idea babe. Blaze here got the," his hands ignited, "hots for you."

"Chick, cheesecake, broad, babe?" The senshi of love got angrier with each word listed. "And you wonder why women don't treat you right? Che! Do you have any idea how obnoxious you are, or is your brain too fried to realize?" The redhead remained quiet a while, then he stood straight, groomed his hair a bit, cleared his throat and recited.

"Romance, who loves to nod a sing,  
With drowsy head and folded wing,  
Among the green leaves as they shake  
Far down within some shadowy lake,  
To me a painted paroquet  
Hath been - a most familiar bird -  
Taught me my alphabet to say -  
To lisp my very earliest word  
While in the wild wood I did lie,  
A child - with a most knowing eye.  
Of late, eternal Condor years,  
So shake the very Heaven on high  
With tumult as they thunder by,  
I have no time for idle cares  
Through gazing on the unquiet sky,  
And when an hour with calmer wings  
Its down upon my spirit flings -  
That little time with lyre and rhyme  
To while away - forbidden thing!  
My heart would feel to be a crime  
Unless it trembled with the strings"

Sailor Venus and Hawkins were left speechless.

"I must admit my surprise, Mr. Blaze. I had no idea you knew poetry. You must tell me where you learned that."

"I'm curious as well," the blonde senshi admitted, "Why act the way you do if you're such a capable poet?"

"Why? I'll tell you." Blaze walked over to Venus. With a quick move, he grabbed her by the neck with an ignited hand. "Because you blonde bimbos know shit! You are always the pretty ones, and want everything around you to be pretty. And me, the skinny guy with the pimple face, always gets snubbed." He let go and Venus gasped for air. The burning made each breath quite painful. "I remember it as if it happened only yesterday. She was the most popular girl in school. Gorgeous, rich parents, good grades, captain of the cheerleading squad and, of course, blonde hair. I was in the same class as her, and believe it or not, Doc, I was a straight-A student." He placed his hand over Venus' chest. "I was madly in love with her. To prove it I studied from the masters, Yeats and Longfellow, just to name a few. I left notes in her locker, recited some verses in front of her, wrote a few of my own. Tell me, do you think she liked that behavior?" he asked sweetly.

"Well I—OOMPH!" Blaze kicked her in the stomach as hard as he could. Hawkins did nothing to stop this, he was much too interested in Blaze's story. Not to mention that he'd misplaced the control that kept him in check.

"She laughed at me. She thought it was ridiculous that a carrot-topping pizza-face like me would try to be with a girl like her. You don't want a gentleman," Blaze growled, "all you blonde bimbos want is a quarterback with just enough brains to pull down your panties!" He reached under her fuku as he said this.

"Please don't," Venus gasped, "You…you can't believe all people who look alike think the same way, just because of one person who treated you badly." Sailor Venus tried to gather up her courage and whatever mercy was still left in her. "That talent you have, you could easily find a girl who would like you."

"But not you right?" Blaze protested as he burned her, "You don't fool me! All you want is muscle and no brain. Well, I showed her I could be tough. She screamed 'no', but I knew she was proud of the new me, proud until the fire finally crisped her." The mad redhead let go and went to the door. "Whatever you're doing, hurry it up, Doc. My urges are up to a boil." Both occupants in the room were left speechless after Blaze had left. Sailor Venus was shocked both by the story she'd heard and the brutal way she'd been hurt.

"Quite interesting," the doctor commented coldly. He took a miniature recorder out of his pocket. "Set hidden cameras to monitor the scenario that will be held between the subjects: Blaze and Sailor Venus. Have psychology based reference standing aside." This was the last straw.

"That psycho just told us how he raped and burned a girl! And there you are as if nothing had happened! Not only that, you want to take videos of that guy raping **me**! What kind of a sick, twisted hentai are you?"

"I am not planning this for entertainment," Hawkins cleared out, "What was heard a moment ago revealed to me a lot of information about Mr. Blaze, that I would have never been able to deduce. The purpose of all preparations to be made is to gather more of said information."

"Information, is that all you care about?" the blonde senshi asked appalled, "Doesn't it even bother you a bit that people get hurt while you perform your work?"

"Bother, regret? To me those are senseless words. Just as everything that isn't tangible or verifiable. I only believe in fact." Venus went silent while the doctor continued his work. She wondered if her friends could get here in time. She wondered if this frightening man even had a heart. Her thoughts were truer than she believed.

Another hundred rats scattered away as the glittering orb approached. Saturn tried her best not to feel nausea.

"Carlos-san is going to owe me big once this is over." After so many twists and turns, she finally made it to a wall in particular. Her sense of direction told her that behind it was the tower's basement, at least she was pretty sure. She knelt and used her glaive to cut out a hole, just big enough for her to go through. When she pulled out said part of the wall, she noticed that most of it was made out of steel, or some other alloy.

"How much did he pay for this I wonder? I've had more trouble cutting wet toilet paper." The silent senshi got down on her belly and slid through the tunnel she made. Now, Saturn had made a slight miscalculation. Yes, she did reach the tower, but the hole she made didn't lead inside of it, it was just one of the air vents, one that led straight down.

"EEEK! Oomph!" Saturn pushed against the wall and stopped her fall, ending up in very uncomfortable position. "Okay Saturn, you wanted to get to Carlos-san as fast as you could, and this seems to be the best way." She appraised the situation. It was a very long drop but she could handle it, and the silent shadow would probably hide the noise made by her landing. Sailor Saturn took a deep breath "Right. Here I GO!"

Karasu waited as patiently as he could for Poe to finish the spell. He was trying to come up with a plan, but his hatred towards this man obfuscated his mind.

"Done," Poe said with a raspy voice, "Now all that is left is for Hawkins to provide the science needed for this." The warlock put his medallion and cloak back on. "You know? It surprises me that your darkness actually increased, your level was pretty high when you were alive."

"Darkness?"

"The one in your soul. As you probably know, people carry both good and evil within them, there is no such thing as purity. And people also generate a sort of energy, light and dark. Light is powerful, in fact, I recall incidents about people losing their light energy a couple of years ago in this very city." He chuckled, "But people ignore how much more useful the dark side is. It is generated by anger, hate, violence, depression, worry or even a simple case of the blues. You know what I mean, the dark is what grants us our power, we both use peoples' fears and use them as our weapons. The best part is, unlike light, you can drain it from a person without him noticing it. And thanks to modern life, there is a never ending supply." He paused to better enjoy the effects of his lecture on the boy.

"That explains why you hang around losers like Chris," Karasu spat, "and those gizmos Saturn told me about. But don't you dare think that just because I also use dark energy we are the same! You are the monster, not me!"

"You're not? I beg to differ. When I discovered you, three years ago, I was amazed, so much resentment in someone so young. I decided to wait and observe, expecting your darkness to increase. I wasn't disappointed." Poe got closer and whispered into his ear. "By the time I had you executed, your level was beyond many serial killers I've known. Does that sound like a normal teenager? No. Does it sound like a monster? Oh yes." The warrior clenched his fists so hard they bled. "You're a monster, Carlos Navarro, you always were. But there is a difference between us, I am strong and you are pathetic." He left the room laughing as Karasu screamed and trashed. "Hawkins' assistants will be here soon. Try not to think too much about failing your family."

Saturn had finally reached the bottom and was now creeping her way around the compound. She couldn't risk trying to detect Carlos again, so she could only rely on her instinct.

"Did you take a look at the guy the boss brought in?" a voice asked. Saturn peeked around the corner and saw two men in uniform, probably soldiers, judging from the weapons they carried. Allen Poe had a whole army in this underground base! She called upon her silent shadow and started walking right behind them.

"We don't know if it's from the outside. It could also be one of the things his science team creates. One things for sure," he looked down the corridor, "That kabuki kid is not human." Saturn heard no more and ran off as fast as she could.

__

Give me a sign Carlos, please. Let me know where you are.

"YEARGH!"

"Chikuso!" She followed the scream, it was a sound only she could hear. Further screams increased her tension, making the situation worse. _Calm down, Saturn. You won't help Carlos-san at all in this state. Don't follow his voice, follow him_. Sure of herself, she headed to a door in particular. She forced it open a little and peeked inside, what she saw chilled and enraged her. A group of people in lab-coats surrounded Karasu, who was strapped onto a dissection table. The sight was gruesome; robotic arms sliced him open while strategically aimed lasers kept his flesh from regenerating. They all took notes and observations, seemingly oblivious to the agony the boy was going through.

"Regeneration speed is three square inches per second. Let's see whether it varies with different types of—" A crash was heard. The scientist turned around and saw Saturn's elbow crash into his face.

"Call security!" a woman called out, "There's—Uungh!" The senshi knocked her out with a whack from her glaive. The remaining ones were knocked out with an energy blasts. She had to admit it, she bloodlust she felt was exciting, she really wanted to use the sharp end of her weapon on them all. After taking a few deep breaths to calm down, she headed for her friend.

"Those monsters," Saturn swung the Silence glaive and sliced away the instruments surrounding Karasu. He shook in pain as he regenerated, so she quickly used her healing power to soothe him. Karasu's breathing became more and more paced. By the time he was whole again, it was barely perceptible. "Carlos-san?" the girl asked fearfully. The undead teen chuckled gently as he opened his eyes.

"You see? I knew you'd be able to find me." Saturn couldn't contain herself any longer, letting her tears run free, she took her friend in a tight embrace.

"I was so worried about you, Carlos," she sobbed.

"You pulled through, Hotaru," he replied as he hugged her back, "that all that matters." He pulled away and dried her tears. "Now let's go find Sailor Venus and get the hell out of here." The senshi nodded. "But first." Karasu headed over to one of the scientists, the smallest one. "_Sí_, I'd say we're about the same size." That when she realized Karasu was completely nude.

"Gomen nasai!" she exclaimed as she spun away, blushing terribly.

"Hey don't worry about it," Karasu said as he put the pants on. He tapped on her shoulder to let her know he was ready.

"I brought something." The silent senshi pulled out two items from the subspace where she kept her henshin rod and glaive, his overcoat and katana. "Gomen, but I couldn't bring your guns."

"It's okay, I'm starting to like the sword better. Let's go."

Sailor Venus received another one of Blaze's fiery jabs without so much as a whimper. Bruises and chars covered every visible part of her skin. A few tears escaped from her eyes, but she didn't even sob.

"Don't keep it in, Blondie," the madman taunted, "I know you feel like crying." Venus responded with a bloody spit to his face.

"You can dish out a lot more. Or don't you feel man enough yet, fighting someone who can't strike back?"

"Don't push me, bitch. I'm just getting warmed up." He placed his palm on her stomach and concentrated the heat. She gritted her teeth, determined not to give him the satisfaction. "Usually, it's Chris who does all the beating up, I just do the fun part. You know, sex." He took his hand away. "You know, torture just doesn't do it for me." He lifted her chin. "But you are giving me a woody." Venus merely glared. "Tell ya what. So you see that I ain't such a bad guy, I'll let you choose what I'll do next."

"Nani?"

"Yeah. You choose, punches, burns…" He grabbed her thigh. "Or we just cut to the chase." Venus narrowed her eyes; this monster deserved no forgiveness, no matter what her princess had taught her. But bound as she was, there was nothing she could do to stop what was going to happen. She gave a resigned sigh.

"I'm gonna to let my friends do as they please."

"What?" Blaze turned around and was met by a very potent right hook.

"Get up, _hijo de perra_! The fun's just starting!" Karasu went on to punish the redhead, while Saturn aided her friend.

"Ara! Venus, what have they done to you?" she asked as she healed her friend.

"Nothing compared to what he was planning to do later," the blonde senshi said with a smile, "Domo arigato, Saturn."

Blaze was barely able to counterattack. Karasu gave him no time to set his bracelets. The warrior threw an uppercut.

"That one is for Venus." He dished out a roundhouse kick. "That one's for the girl at the theater." He grabbed the redhead and lifted him in the air. "And this one is for Carmela!" he shouted as he smashed him into the floor face first.

"My turn!" Blaze threw the strongest fireball he could make at the warrior's face. "This is my way of saying thanks," he said as he punched his opponent, "for such a nice time I had with that Carmela bitch." Karasu roared and grabbed Blaze's fist, crushing it like pudding.

"Don't talk that way about her!" He grabbed the redhead's wrist with his other hand and accidentally pushed a button on his bracelet. The power surge caused Blaze to shake. "_Qué_? Ugh!" The redhead had kneed him.

"Thanks mime! You just set me up into full battle-mode." He created a large fireball and blasted Karasu to the other side of the room. "You still feel like fighting?"

"_Sí_, since it's obvious you feel like dying." He got up and into position. "Ebon—" Blaze threw a large blue tongue of flame at him, both burning and knocking him away.

"I took my nap after our last encounter, mime, and the doc gave me something extra. I've enough power for you now." The redhead got ready to fire again.

"VENUS CRESCENT BEAM!" The golden ray smashed into Blaze, slamming him against the wall. The blow had hurt, but the redhead laughed.

"Have you forgotten, bimbo? Energy attacks just charge me up."

"That's my intention exactly," she said coldly, "Venus, planet attack!" The senshi of love threw all of her rage onto the maniac before her. He felt power flow into him and laughed maniacally.

"Ooh, baby I love this! Keep going, do your worst!"

"You are the worst!" she yelled and increased her attack. Blaze kept laughing like a maniac until he felt pain. He realized her plan, overcharge.

"S-stop. I…can't…take it!" Smoke began to come out of him. Suddenly, she ceased her attack.

"I can't!" she sobbed, "By the kami, I can't do it. I can't." She fell to her knees crying. Saturn tried to comfort her. The younger senshi kept her sight on Blaze, who was struggling to get back up.

"Just like a girl," the madman mocked, "you just don't have the guts to kill." Still smoking, he aimed towards the senshi, Saturn aimed her glaive.

"Venus spared your life, you ungrateful baka!"

"You say mercy I say pity! And I'm not taking it from a dumb blonde!"

"Don't do it," Karasu warned. All three saw him rise as the last chars on his face vanished. "Take my word, you will regret it." Blaze wasted no words, he turned towards and fired. Karasu was faster, he drew out his katana, charged and sliced the redhead's arm along its length. Loss of the bracelet, plus the enormous energy his body carried, caused a violent reaction. Blaze shrieked in pain as blue flames flew out every socket in his head. "Venus chose forgiveness, even after all you did to her." He shoved him against the wall. The fire inside Blaze had been violent but didn't kill him, now he was agonizing terribly. "What you did to my mother and sister, I shouldn't forgive," he said coldly, "but I will." He drove his weapon into the man's skull, killing him. "But I doubt you'll find any mercy where you're heading. You okay?" he asked Venus, whom Saturn was healing.

"Hai, I just need a little rest."

"Out of the question," Saturn stated, "We've got to get out of here before Poe finds out we're here."

"Right," the warrior agreed, "let's go." They all hurried out of the room, leaving Blaze's smoking body behind. The moment he was left alone, the blue fire rekindled.

Quoth the raven: The poem Blaze recited is "Romance", which was written by Edgar Allan Poe. I wanted to use another one, but decided to go with it anyway.


	17. Death and Rebirth 17

****

Death and Rebirth

Chapter seventeen:

Juban, afternoon:

The eight remaining senshi, Tuxedo kamen and the animals were all gathered around the manhole Sailor Saturn had climbed down about an hour ago.

"I still don't understand why you had to wait," Artemis protested, "You should've called us earlier. Who knows what they've been doing to Minako!"

"Artemis!" Luna scolded, "All of us are worried, don't take it out on Kashaku-san." The white cat sighed and lowered his head.

"You're right, Luna-chan. Gomen nasai, Kashaku-san."

"_I understand your anger, Sir Artemis, and I blame myself as well._" The guardian shook his head. "_As to why I waited, Lady Saturn ordered me to. When I went to you at the hospital, it was because the warrior told me to, and having Lady Saturn search for him with her mind was told as a suggestion. While on this realm, I have no choice but to obey orders, and I am limited to guide and suggest but not command. I already broke these rules more than once, and I dare not do it again._" He turned his attention towards the senshi. "_My ladies, are you ready to go?_"

"Hai," Sailor Mars answered, "And don't worry, we'll be back before you know it."

Sailor Moon was the last to climb down the stairs. "Ugh. Couldn't Hotaru-chan think of a better way to reach the tower?"

"Hey, she's gone after Carlos-kun, ne?" Jupiter pointed out, "I'll bet that if Tuxedo Kamen was the one being held, you wouldn't care how much you'd have to go through reach him either, nor I if it was Andre-chan."

"Hai," the princess admitted, "Mercury, can your computer find out where she's gone?"

"Nothing, this new cloaking technique of hers eliminated all trace." The water senshi deactivated her visor. "There aren't even any tracks on the floor."

"Then we'll have to split up," Mars suggested, "Lucky for us she could only chose one out of two paths."

"There are two paths here, but we're surely to find more as we go down the tunnels." The anguish in Pluto's voice made tremendous contrast with her usual demeanor. "But splitting up **is** the only choice we have. (Sigh) I just hope we find them soon enough."

"Let's get going then," Tuxedo Kamen announced, "Mars, Neptune and Uranus shall go with Sailor Moon. The rest of you, follow me."

As each group ran its own way, one thought ran through the wind senshi's mind.

__

It's my fault, it's all my fault.

Whirlpool Compound:

Kara knocked on the door. "Paul, are you in there?" There was no answer so she decided to let herself in. Just as she thought, the room was empty. The mocha-skinned woman sighed and threw herself on the bed. The amount of thoughts in her head was overwhelming. _Damn you Karasu! Couldn't you just kill me instead of telling me that? _The boy couldn't have just lied, not about something like that. But she had no proof that told her otherwise. Her cycle was still two weeks away from completion, and the last time she had been intimate with Allen was less than a week ago. That would mean that she was only a few days pregnant, much too early to show any symptoms or to use a home-test. A trip to the doctor might be able to eliminate all doubt, but it was also a sure way for her lover to find out and she didn't want him to know yet. But she needed someone to talk to, and that someone was Paul.

Since the whirlpool gang was been created, the dark martyr had become her favorite of the bunch. At first she mocked his strict sense of honor, but his determination and zealousness convinced her in the end. While Willy, Chris and Blaze kept trying to make a move on her, he respected her as a woman and as leader. And when she teased or tried seducing him playfully, he scolded her like he would a little sister. At that moment she realized that she had always taken those facts for granted.

"Can I help you, Kara?"

The woman arose with a start and found Paul at the door. "Or are you just leaving?"

"Actually, I was looking for you," she responded, "Did you hear the news? We were finally able to capture the karasu."

"So I've heard. But that's not why you're here, is it?"

"No it isn't," the black-haired woman snorted, "Umm, Allen's going to be very busy all day and I want to go out. I'd like for you to keep me company today." He stared at her for a while.

"I have things to do as well," he finally said.

"And what do you have to do?" Kara demanded as she got to her feet, "Exactly why the hell are you acting so damn mysterious? Snooping around, asking questions, meeting with the guards and doctors. Do you have any idea what Allen will do to you if you go too far?"

"Does it matter to you?" the black man asked calmly.

"Yes—" She interrupted herself. He had raised a point. Why would an insane woman care about the fate of another person?

Before she met Allen, no one had cared about her. She was born female in a world run by men. No one cared for the little girl she was, only the body she possessed. She'd been used and abused in so many ways by so many people; her stepfather and his drunk friend, coach Jones, the first boy she ever had a crush on and so on. That's why she chose a life of promiscuity and later on murder; it was an easy escape for her pain. No, her feelings had never mattered to anyone. Why shouldn't the opposite also be true?

"Yes, Paul, it matters to me. What happened to you?" Quietly, Paul headed for the door.

"I really don't know," he said with a curious smile, "perhaps the same thing which happened to you." He left her alone with her thoughts.

"Yes, it matters to me," she repeated softly, "…my friend."

"Another dead end," Venus said, "I told you we should've asked the soldier to repeat his directions before you knocked him out and stuffed him into the air shaft."

"Hey, I'd like to see you trying keeping your cool after being carved up by a bunch of eggheads." Karasu retorted, "Besides, Saturn here's the one who forgot the way."

"I was hurrying in order to save you, remember? Besides, I've already thought of a plan to reach the exit," Saturn added, sure of herself. Her companions raised an eyebrow at her. "We're in an underground base, ne? All we have to do is find some stairs or an elevator and go up." Venus sweat-dropped, that sounded like something Usagi or herself would come up with.

"One thing's for sure," Karasu quipped, "your brains are not the reason I like you."

"Fine, let's see you come up with—What did you say?"

"Uh, umm, er, I… What are we standing around here for? Let's get going!" He hurried away and Saturn was left blushing. The senshi of love stepped up and tapped her friend's shoulder.

"You're getting to him," she whispered into her ear.

"Please don't start."

"Hey _muchachas_!" the warrior called out, "I found a door." The girls walked over.

"And what good will it do?" the silent senshi asked, "It's got a combination lock."

"But I've got this." The boy pulled a card out of his coat. "I took it from that nerd along with his pants, I thought it would come in handy." He ran the item through the slit and the door opened. "Wait here while I check it out." He walked in slowly, drawing out his katana. "I can't feel anyone, 'course, they could be using cloaking gizmos."

"I don't think there is anyone, it's pitch dark in here," Venus said as she entered, "But quite large judging from the echo. And what's that smell?"

"Well, I definitely didn't go through here, so we should go back to the corridor," Saturn commented as she followed. Once inside, the door slid shut again. "Then again, it's someplace else we can look." She searched for another card-slit but found none. "By the silence, we're stuck."

The trio went further into the room. Even after their sight had adjusted, they had to walk slowly and close together. The darkness wasn't so bad, the thing that unsettled them was the weird smell, plus a strange noise that was heard now and then.

"Look, I don't care if the lights reveal our location," Venus complained, "I know the dark's keeping us hidden, but if we're able to see where we're going, the faster we'll get out of here."

"I second that," Saturn said, "Wait here while I go back and try to find a switch."

"Saturn."

"Karasu, I'll be fine. It's not that far to go." A little unsure, she went back down what she believed was the right way. "There's something in here!" she exclaimed suddenly.

"Nani?"

"I touched the wall and it drew back. There's something in here and it's alive."

"Impossible," Karasu said, "I would've felt it." Everyone kept quiet and paid attention. The noise did sound like something crawling around.

"Well I'm too tired to play guessing games." The violet-haired girl raised her hand and sparks began to swirl around it. "Shield your eyes." She threw the glowing orb upwards and it exploded, illuminating the entire room and irritating the skeleton drones that covered the walls.

"Great move, Witchey-boo."

"Shut up and fight! Silence glaive surprise!" As soon as one side of the room exploded, Sailor Saturn turned around and cleaved three drones that were coming from behind. Karasu no shi leaped away from the other two and began to slice away with his katana. One of the bugs stabbed him in the chest, unfazed, he stuck his hand into its eye and crushed its brain.

"Crescent beam!" Venus' golden beam bounced harmlessly off the drone. "Kuso, I'm too tired!"

"Then stay low. Silence Wall!" The barrier surrounded Venus, a dozen drones crashed against it and started clawing it. The silent senshi was ready to make a lot of noise, she slammed the flat of her glaive on the floor and it began to vibrate. "Saturn shockwave!" A bright, violet ripple went through the insects, annihilating them.

Karasu rushed over and along with Saturn, started to behead more bugs. The undead warrior glimpsed at the girl and noticed she was breathing heavily. The results from the fight last night, not sleeping, and healing him and Venus were beginning to show. To make matters worse, there were hundreds of drones still left to go!

"Ebon shears! Saturn, get into the shield, I'll take care of these things!"

"Nani? I'm not letting you face these things alone!"

"You're too tired! Leave me to them, NOW!"

"Don't you tell me what to—KYAA!!" Her distraction allowed one of the drones to claw her shoulder from behind.

"HOTARU!! URK!" Karasu had his throat skewered by a talon. Venus saw more drones approach her friends and jumped out of the silence wall.

"Venus love and beauty shock!" The blast affected a large number of the bugs and the senshi collapsed. All three heroes were down and surrounded. Desperate, the silent senshi pushed herself up and raised her weapon. "Silence glaive—"

"Drones, stop!"

Once the command was shouted, the scenario switched from chaos to calm. Puzzled, Saturn turned to find out who'd done this. She became even more puzzled when she saw a member of the whirlpool gang.

"You're lucky the drones are preprogrammed to obey us," Paul said with a grin, "Otherwise, neither of us would be here." Karasu got up and made a gurgling noise. With an annoyed grumble, he pulled the claw out and waited for his throat to heal.

"_Sí_, well you're not lucky at all." He charged towards the black man with the katana at the ready and stopped right in front him. "There's something different about you," the warrior commented in a dark voice.

"It's because of you," the dark martyr replied in a similar tone, "You did something to me when we fought. But I still don't know whether to be spiteful or grateful."

"Gomen, I'm sure your conversation is quite interesting," Venus interrupted tiredly, "But would you mind discussing somewhere else that's not here?" One of the drones was standing much too close to the blonde.

"Certainly, follow me please." As they left, Karasu went closer to Saturn.

"Are you all right?"

"It was just a scratch, easy to heal," she answered while rubbing her shoulder, "But what are you going to do about Paul? You don't trust him, do you?"

"Of course not, and I want to take care of him now. But something in my head tells me I already did."

"_Did you two have any luck?_" Neptune asked through the communicator.

"Ie, we've reached a dead end," Mars answered, "We're catching up with you in a minute." She closed communication. "Sailor Moon?"

"Mars, do you think we'll be able to find Mina-chan and the others?"

"Of course we will," the raven-haired senshi replied in her usual tone for such questions, "we just have to look harder."

"Let me rephrase the question. Do you think Hotaru-chan will allow us to find them?" The fire senshi blinked at the princess. "She is using her Silent shadow you know."

"Usagi, she's using it to hide from our enemies, not us."

"Then why did she sneak away this morning?" They started running. "Both of us know the outer senshi still keep to themselves most of the time. But Hotaru-chan has always been different, closer to everyone. I would've at least expected her to tell Setsuna-san."

"It may be because of Carlos-san, though not in the wrong way. I risk sounding like you, but he's become very important to her." The Moon princess snorted at that last comment. "Plus, Uranus' attitude mustn't have helped much either."

"Hai, and I'm also worried about Haruka-kun, now that you mention it."

"Really, how come?"

"She was trailing behind us as we ran down the first tunnel."

"Che! Odango head, what's so weird about that?" Sailor Moon answered with another question.

"Since when does Sailor Uranus stay behind?" Mars nodded silently, she looked up and noticed they were approaching the outer senshi.

"Let's concentrate on finding our friends, okay? We'll worry about the rest later."

"They're coming," Neptune said as she tapped her wrist, "I suggest we walk now, they'll be able to catch up and we won't risk missing any details." Uranus was leaning against the wall, staring emptily at nothing. "Uranus?"

"Hai," the sand-blonde said tiredly. They walked slowly for a while before speaking again.

"Uranus, what's wrong?"

"I'm just worried, that's all," she answered hastily.

"You're beyond worried," the ocean senshi insisted, "You're not acting like yourself at all. Now, what's wrong?" Uranus didn't answer, so Neptune let another minute pass quietly. "What happened back at Hikawa?"

"Nothing." The aqua-haired senshi stood right in front of her and gave a piercing gaze. "(sigh) I was angry because that armored bitch caught us and I blamed Hime-chan for choosing to go after Navarro. She insisted on defending him, and baka that I am, couldn't understand why! I lost my temper and struck her, very hard." Neptune's eyes widened in shock, Uranus noticed. "Go ahead, whatever you're going to say, I deserve it."

"Haruka, my love, you are a baka and what you did was much worse than a mistake." She placed her hands on the wind senshi's shoulders, "But adopting this sort of behavior and not doing anything makes you a much bigger fool." Neptune heard footfalls, Sailor Moon and Mars were nearing. "We're going to find our Hime-chan, so pull yourself together, for her sake." Uranus raised her head and gave a grateful smile.

"Domo arigato, Michiru."

"You love her, ne?"

"Hai," the wind senshi answered sincerely yet unsure.

"Concentrate on that."

Paul was doing a good job leading the group. They did take a slight detour to pick up his pigeon, but it felt as if they were actually going somewhere. The atmosphere around them, however, was too tense. After all, this man had murdered a large number of people and the one who let the drones loose at Seiryu. Venus decided to strike conversation amongst her friends, something that didn't have to do with him at all.

"Umm, say Karasu I'm curious. Where did you get that katana? It's really something."

"Hai," Saturn agreed, "The drones' skin is hard enough to stop bullets, even our senshi attacks have trouble cracking it. That sword is able to slash them effortlessly." The warrior drew out his weapon and appraised it.

"I never thought about it, but you're right. Those people back at the warehouse, I cut those metal bonds as if they were yarn. And that big rat outside wasn't hard to stab at all."

"And **that** thing had though skin," the blonde pointed out, "So where did you get it?"

"Actually I just glimpsed and found it at that very warehouse."

"Found it?" Saturn asked incredulously, "You were able to use that thing to stand against me and the Silence Glaive. How could you have just found it?"

"Hey, it could happen," Venus said, "Are you going to name it, Karasu?"

"_Qué?_"

"Name it, all famous swords have a name. Take Excalibur, Tizona or Matarina for example."

"Yeah, I've been thinking about it for a while." Karasu sheathed his katana and gave the girls a scary grin. "Seventh Sin." The senshi halted as the warrior kept walking. The senshi of love raised an eyebrow at her younger friend.

"Seventh Sin?"

"If I know Karasu no shi well enough," Saturn observed, "wrath."

"This is one of the service tunnels," Paul called out, "it leads straight to the outside. Some areas of the wall are very thin, so let's try to stay silent."

"You're Paul, ne?" Venus asked, "Do you have a reason to be helping us? If you are, that is."

"I am helping," Paul insisted, "And I do it because I've had enough of Poe's manipulation."

"Just like that?" Karasu challenged, "I find that hard to believe." The boy lowered his head and scratched his chin. "But you're not the same person I fought back then, how come?"

"Didn't you look into my head and mess my thoughts during our battle."

"I saw your belief system, but little else."

"Now I'm curious," Saturn called out, "Paul, maybe we'll be less tense around you if you tell us everything."

"Fair enough." The black man cleared his throat and began his tale. "I was born and raised in Nebraska, in the country. I had many things back then: a large house, open spaces, caring parents, a cheerful grandfather, we even owned a horse ranch."

"And you had a pony when you were a kid," the love senshi guessed, "sounds like a fairy tale life."

"It was for a while, but it all changed when I turned six. I was in the wrong place at the wrong time, my grandfather and some of his workers were taking care of a horse with a broken leg." The three teenagers stopped suddenly with looks of surprise and disbelief. "I cried as he explained why he had to do it. That it was suffering and had to be put down." He stopped and leaned against the wall. "It's more than obvious that I didn't understand."

"So you went out, found people who you considered to be in pain and…" Saturn paused to steel herself. "What happened afterwards?"

"To make a long story short, Poe found me and used me as a tool. He used lies to make me believe that I was saving people from their suffering. To blind to see that he, through Kara and the others, created that sorrow."

"And too stupid to realize you increased it," Karasu observed. Paul glared back at him. "Kashaku told me once that our actions are like ripples in a pond, you never know how far they can reach. Did you ever stop to think of all the people you affected by killing just one individual? Friends, family, children. Do you know how it feels to lose a loved one?"

"Do you hate me that much?" Paul spat, "Does my own pain cause you such enjoyment?"

"My sister died at your hands," the undead warrior said with calm anger, "I don't care how repented you are, I will never forgive you. And as for your pain…" His eyes became darker. "We're murderers, you and I, pain will always be our companion." Karasu walked away without another word. Paul stood still as the senshi went past him, only Saturn paused for a moment.

"We?"

"Karasu is not one to forgive easily," the violet-haired girl ran her hand down her side, "not even himself."

A purple-haired woman and an indigo-haired man, both Hawkins' assistants, were heading towards Blaze's room.

"I still can't believe Poe-sama and the whirlpool gang were able to bring one of the senshi," the man said, "Heck, I still can't believe they're more than an urban myth."

"The same goes for Karasu no shi," she replied, "And if I were you, I'd be more worried about him."

"Hai, I remember what he did to Takata." They arrived to the room. "After you."

"Ie, I don't want to be the one who interrupts that hentai in whatever he's doing in there." The man shrugged and opened the door. "Ara!" A blast of heat came out of the room and hit their faces. "What the hell is he doing?"

"I'll find out, wait here." The man went inside cautiously. The woman waited nervously, biting her thumbnail. "Get over here quick!" he called out almost immediately. She ran inside, door closing behind her, and nearly fainted when she saw Blaze's smoking body.

"Who could've done this? The senshi?"

"Ie, that's very unlikely." He tried to get closer to the redhead in order to examine him, but it was like trying to get close to a bonfire. "This is useless, we better go get—YAAH!" His sleeve caught on fire. In fact, the temperature in the whole room rose considerably. "Let's get out of here!" He tried to put out the flames, but to no avail. She ran to the door and tried to run her card-key through the slit, the plastic melted inside.

"Ie!" She started to pound on the door as her hair ignited. "Help us! Somebody get us out of here!" No one could hear her. And as the heat increased, there would be no more sound in a moment.

Allen Poe scavenged around the room, he didn't want to stay here longer than necessary. This particular storage area wasn't as secure as the rest of the compound, and man with so many dark secrets has a reason to fear such a place. But he had no choice, he needed an item no one else would be able to recognize. So it's understandable that he breathed relief when he finally found said item.

"Who would have thought that after all this time," Allen told to artifact he held, "you'd be what I'd need in the end?" The door slid open at that moment, it was Hawkins.

"Mr. Poe, Sir, I managed to find the profile on Hotaru Tomoe. I'd thought you'd like to make her your next objective after completing this project."

"You thought right as you often do. It will be interesting to find out how Souichi's daughter turned out after all that's happened to her. You do remember who's responsible, don't you?"

"With all due respect, Sir, that is to be blamed upon the whims of a young heart." The scientist took a deep breath. "I know you will make me say this, so I will. Souichi and Keiko were some of my best friends. And yes, I wanted Keiko to be more than such."

"A lovely match," the warlock said sarcastically. "But then I showed up, gave my offer and said that only one could have the position you now hold."

"A position I needed badly, Sir." The mad doctor scratched his chin. "But I still don't understand how those two survived the explosion."

"Your plan may have failed Hawkins, but sabotaging his project did manage to impress me." The longhaired man chuckled. "Who would have thought that the likes of you would go as far as to eliminate so many? Just to get rid of one rival." He dug his hands into his pockets. "And yet I still wonder. What was your reaction when you learned Keiko had been killed in the explosion?"

"I already knew she was there," Hawkins deadpanned, "I acted according to logic. She and her daughter were no more than expendable casualties."

"SILENCE GLAIVE SURPRISE!!"

The explosion blew Allen and his lackey away. When they managed to rise and the dust had cleared a bit, they saw Sailor Saturn and Karasu no shi standing there with the Silence glaive and Seventh Sin at the ready.

"You," Saturn growled, her eyes flaming violet, "you were the one."

"Somehow, I'm grateful for hearing this," Karasu told Allen as his eyes obtained a hellish blackness, "It gives me another reason to kill you." Sailor Venus and Paul stood behind the pair, far behind. Allen Poe said nothing, calmly, contrasting with Hawkins' shaking, he rose and spoke.

"Well, Paul, I'm glad to see you finally found your spine. And you, senshi of Saturn, what do you accuse Hawkins of?"

"Look at my face and figure it out."

"Saturn!" Venus shouted, but it was too late, Hotaru had revealed her identity. Hawkins' eyebrows rose, Poe merely nodded.

"I remember now, your late father showed me a picture of his family once. I'm genuinely surprised that such a sweet girl turned out to be the senshi of destruction, even with all that darkness I saw in you." Hawkins gulped, when said senshi narrowed her amethyst-eyes. Poe stood straight and stepped towards his enemies. "Anyway, you two have given me new knowledge about yourselves, and you have obtained knowledge about me. Will you use it?"

Both dark-haired teens gave out battle cries and charged. Karasu slashed at Poe with a downward motion. The warlock avoided easily, and as the boy continued forward, he hit his jaw with a haymaker.

"Your rage empowers you, but you let it blind you." Karasu received a roundhouse kick. "Pathetic beyond the end." Suddenly, Allen felt weak and stumbled, the undead warrior took the chance and backhanded the man.

"What's the matter? Is your age finally catching up to you?" Poe tried to clutch his chest, and that's where Karasu's first punch landed.

Hawkins wasn't as graceful, but managed to avoid Saturn's glaive. Still, he received a kick in the face.

"A casualty? Is that what Momma meant to you!?" the silent senshi screamed, "You killed all of us that day! Poppa was cheated into giving up his soul for me. And all he obtained was to put me through hell!" Hawkins managed to grab something and throw it at the girl, hitting her in the chest.

"In my opinion, brat, you should show gratitude towards me, I ended up saving your miserable life. Or who do you think helped your father install those cybernetics of yours?" He'd stuck his finger into the wound. Saturn growled and struck the mad doctor with the flat of her weapon, knocking his glasses away.

"For every wire you put into my body, for every second my mother suffered, I'm going to—" Hawkins spun and spit at Saturn, just managing to hit her arm. "KYAA!" She saw her skin begin bubble. "Nani?" She turned again and gasped at discovering her opponent possessed large, green, **segmented** eyes. He spit acid again as a second pair of arms tore out from his lab-coat, this time Saturn managed to raise her silence wall on time. One of Hawkins' eyes saw his leader in trouble.

"Duck Sir!" Poe rolled away and the mutant drone spit at Karasu, hitting him square in the chest.

"YAAH!"

"Karasu!" Two strong hands took hold of her arm.

"Lend me your anger." The girl felt something being drained out of her. With renewed strength running through his body, Poe flung the girl against Karasu with all of his might. The force she was thrown with made them hit the wall. Saturn moaned as she tried to get up, but now both her arms were hurt. The black-haired man walked up to them shaking his head. "Tsk, tsk, tsk, what a shame. I was hoping to learn more from you, Mr. Navarro, but I already have what I need; and you, Miss Tomoe, you could've been useful, weren't you so dangerous." He raised his hands and formed a dark orb. "So I guess the two of you must die now," he said sympathetically, "Believe me, I'm very sorry."

"Not so fast!"

Poe turned his head and saw Paul rush towards him. The black man jumped from behind Hawkins and stepped on his head for the extra height needed to deliver a flying kick to the warlock. He scored a perfect hit, even if he didn't manage to get him off his feet, so he grabbed him by the cloak and threw him over his shoulder. His foes taken care of, he rushed to aid the young ones.

"Are you all right, little one?"

"Hai, arigato. Karasu?" The undead warrior's regeneration powers had finally beaten the acid.

"I've had enough from these _pendejos_." He walked up to the fallen ones and put his hands in position. "Ebon—"

Suddenly, the floor shook violently, the whole compound actually!

The increasing energy Blaze's carcass was generating had finally passed critical level and exploded.

Hawkins was the only one who could react adequately. He grabbed his leader and leapt towards the door, Karasu tried to catch up but the ceiling collapsed in front of him. Once they managed to exit the room, Poe pressed the emergency button and a reinforced steel sheet shut the door.

"Hawkins, order the evacuation! I'll find my scrolls and go after those four."

"Yes, Mr. Poe, Sir."

"Ebon shears!" More stone fell to cover up the hole he made. "_Chingada_,We're getting nowhere!"

"Let's get out of here!" Saturn screamed, "The whole place is coming down!" All three ran to join Venus in the tunnel. Smaller explosions and more tremors continued.

"The tunnel looks solid enough," the blonde senshi noted, "We better get to the outside as soon as possible."

"You do that," Paul agreed, "I'll head back and distract Poe, he won't let us go so easily."

"I'm going with you," Karasu said.

"No you're not," the black man responded.

"Poe is my target! I'm if you think I'm taking the chance of letting you join him—"

"Shut up and listen!" Paul ordered in a loud voice, "Look behind you." The undead warrior did so and noticed how exhausted the senshi were. "They won't be able to make it without your help. And there's another reason." He put his hand on the boy's shoulder. "All these years I thought I was doing good, but in truth I did nothing. If I had just opened my eyes a little, realized what I was really doing, yours and a lot of families would've had a much better fate." He got down to his eye level. "What happened to you was my fault for being so blind. I owe this to you." The dark-haired boy kept silent for a minute.

"Poe is very powerful," Karasu said at last, "Distract him, but don't confront him in a direct battle." He held his open hand towards the man who had once been his foe. "Good luck." Paul shook his hand then went over to Venus. She was holding the birdcage with his pigeon inside. "If it's not to much to ask, could you take care of him?"

"Hai." With no more words to be exchanged, he left.

"Will he be all right?" Saturn asked worriedly as she approached her friend.

"I'm not really sure, but he does have a point. He has as much right as I do to exact vengeance upon Poe. And," he turned to look at her, "its more important to get you out of here." They both went over to Venus and helped her on her feet. There was still a fair distance to go.

The intense explosion was heard and felt all around. Obviously, it was felt in the sewers as well. Tuxedo Kamen shielded Sailor Pluto from the falling rocks while Jupiter did the same with Mercury. The water senshi activated her visor immediately after the first tremor.

"There's going to be a lot of aftershocks, but I can still pinpoint where the explosion occurred." Mercury punched buttons into her computer. "That way!" Everyone ran in the indicated direction, Pluto in the lead.

"Mercury, are you sure that's where we're going to find Minako and the others?" the Earth prince asked.

"Actually," Jupiter answered, "considering how loud that explosion was, we better hope they're not there." The heroes came to a screeching halt when they saw what was coming ahead. "And we shouldn't be here either!" A wall of fire was heading towards them.

"Into the water!" Pluto shouted. They all dove. The heat could still be felt as far as they'd submerged, and when they go out, steam was coming out of the filthy surface.

"Well, at least the smell is gone," the thunder senshi quipped. "Matte, Pluto!"

"My Hime-chan is in there! I'm not going to wait!"

Allen Poe used a spell to transcribe all of his annotations concerning Karasu no shi into one scroll.

"There. Now to see what else I can salvage from this wreck."

"Couldn't we just get out of here?" Chris was only repaired halfway, one arm still missing, "You've got your damn thing, your bitch is already outside." The warlock glared at his subordinate. "To hell with everyone else." The next tremor almost knocked both black-haired men off their feet.

"As amazing as it may be, Chris, you're right," Poe observed, "Pick those up and follow me."

"There might a problem with that plan." The cyborg and the warlock turned to the voice.

"All the way from the tunnel to here in such little time? You should be in the Olympics, Paul," Poe joked, "Did you at least leave the senshi at a safe place?"

"The senshi?" Chris was very surprised and then very angry. "You're a rat now!?"

"All the contrary, I'm correcting a betrayal."

"Whatever, all that matters to me is that I have an excuse to do this!" He extended his talons and charged. The moment Paul had Chris almost on top of him, he stepped aside and pulled a small knife out of his sleeve. The robotic madman convulsed when the weapon was stabbed into the base of his column. It was there that Chris recharged his energy, and his most vulnerable spot. He fell to the floor twitching. Allen just stood there and watched the whole thing with his hands held behind himself and a bored expression on his face.

"Well, he was too troublesome for this situation, and he can be easily repaired or replaced." The warlock turned to the dark-skinned man. "I'd like to thank you for this favor, Paul. Would you like a bonus?"

"No jokes, Allen," the black martyr warned, "I'm not going to let you do it, not anymore."

"Do what? Pull your strings?" Poe chuckled, "You're confused, my dear Paul, you wanted to kill those people."

"I wanted to help people, I wanted to end all sadness! You used me as a tool!"

"Did I force you? No. You had no desire to help, Paul, only to kill. I just made it easier to you to quench that desire." Paul began to tremble. "You're a murderer like any other, all that 'free the suffering' philosophy was a poor excuse. You don't want to help people, you just want to kill them." Paul shot a furious stare at Poe, the latter kept talking before the former had a chance. "Am I lying? Ask yourself. What do you want to do now?" The black man opened his mouth but no sound came out. "You want to kill me. Not because I'm weak, saddened or hurt, just because."

"You are the murderer!" Paul exploded, "You manipulated and ended peoples' lives in your unholy quest to extend your own!" He was on the edge of insanity. "I wanted the chance to do good in this world and you stole it! Now I'm stealing your dream!" He charged with all of his fury. With a bored look in his face, Allen merely sidestepped from the attack and countered with a hook to the stomach. Paul spit a mouthful of blood and fell on the floor unconscious. The warlock checked his hand and noticed that he wasn't tired.

"Amazing how much resentment you can find in children nowadays." He grabbed his former employee and carried him over his shoulder. "You have a purpose, Paul, but you are easily replaceable. You're just alive so I can save some time."

"Where close to the exit," Saturn announced, "I can feel it." Karasu was close behind carrying Venus on his back. The blonde was tired but still conscious. She'd tied the birdcage to her back using the ribbon from her fuku.

"You know, you're quite a strong kid," the love senshi noted, "Maybe stronger than Mako-chan was at your age."

"_Sí_, just make sure you're not the one who makes me—" The ceiling started to fall right on top of Saturn! "Hotaru!" The undead warrior sprinted and pulled his friend away from danger. Both teenagers ended up lying on the floor, breathing heavily with a mountain of debris in front of them. "Are you okay?"

"(Gulp) Hai, arigato, Karasu."

"I'm okay too," Venus grunted. The younger ones turned and saw their companion getting up and rubbing her behind.

"Uh, _perdón_," Karasu said sheepishly. Giggling, Saturn got up and inspected the damage.

"We won't get out without using our powers." She noticed the cracks above, blasting away would be a bad idea. "Maybe we should try to teleport."

"No can do," the love senshi said, "That mad doctor told me a barrier which absorb magic surrounds this place."

"Not anymore," the warrior corrected, "it's broken, I can feel the people outside."

"Then let's do it." The trio held hands. "Saturn and I are too weak Karasu, we're going to need your help to do this."

"And what am I supposed to do?"

"Just close your eyes," Saturn answered, "We'll take what we need." They all closed their eyes. Energy started to gather around them as small continuous explosions were still heard. They couldn't tell that one of the explosions was from Sailor Pluto's death scream opening the wall.

"Hime-chan!" the time senshi shouted. Saturn blinked and her eyes widened.

"Pluto—" A final explosion and the tunnel collapsed completely! The mocha-skinned senshi saw the large stones fall upon her daughter and friends! Tuxedo Kamen pulled her away before she could rush in and foolishly endanger herself.

"Pluto, get a hold on yourself! You can't do anything now!"

"Let me GO!" She broke free from his grip and pounded desperately against the now blocked threshold. "HOTARU!!"

Quoth the raven:

Most of you may know about Excalibur, but not the other swords I've mentioned. Tizona belonged to El Cid Campeador (The Champion Cid), one of the greatest heroes in Spanish literature (Spain not Mexico). Matarina, well, it belongs to a Mexican comic book hero called: El Bulbo (The Bulb).

As for wrath being the seventh deadly sin, I'm not sure of the official order, but I do know that wrath is the last sin that appears in the movie "SE7EN". Besides, "Seventh Sin" is the best sounding name.


	18. Death and Rebirth 18

**Death and Rebirth**

**Chapter Eighteen:**

The chilly wind woke her up. The first thing she felt was grass underneath her cheek, followed by aching muscles. The pain was a good sign, it meant she was still alive. She opened her eyes at took a look at her hand.

_No white glove, I must have changed back into Mina-P_. The blonde also saw clear blue sky instead of a sterile ceiling. Now, if she could only find her friends, everything would be perfect. Minako sat up and searched, once she found them she nearly burst out laughing but managed to cover her mouth in time, the younger ones were in a bit of a compromising position. In consideration for her known-to-be-shy friend, she carefully placed a fallen leaf on her nose and lied down again.

Hotaru woke up thanks to the leaf scratching her face. A bit annoyed, she puffed it away. Then she noticed an unfamiliar weight upon her. The girl looked down and her eyes went wide open when she saw Carlos lying with his head resting on her chest. Not only that, her arms were holding him, all this caused her to blush terribly.

"Umm, Carlos," Hotaru whispered, "Carlos-san." He just shifted a little. A small smile of satisfaction could be seen on his lips. Understandable, his ear was right upon that heartbeat he loved so much. She giggled sweetly. Now that she thought about it, they must've been making quite a tender picture. "Carlos-san," she insisted, "wake up." The undead boy groaned and opened his eyes. He breathed relief when he saw those amethyst eyes, then he saw exactly where he was resting. He got up very carefully, trying not to embarrass her, or himself, any further.

"Umm, _perdón,_ Hotaru," he said sheepishly while scratching the back of his head.

"Ie, it's okay, Carlos-san, it's not your fault. We just ended up this way."

Carlos broke out laughing. "_S_, it seems that even fate wants to pair us up." Hotaru laughed herself in agreement. "Besides, it was kind of nice—I mean, it wasn't! I mean, it's not that you're—"

"Carlos-san, calm down, I Understand," the violet-haired girl assured him, "I'm not embarrassed at all." She twitched. "Well, I am a little! I don't want you to think I'm—But it's not that I think you're-" They both shut up and knelt silently when they realized they were babbling nonsense. After a while, she spoke up again, "I guess, we both realize that…" Jeweled and opaque eyes met.

"It wasn't wrong," they said in unison.

A very loud yawn caught their attention. Minako had grown tired of waiting for those two.

"Lucky for us _Señorita _Aino was still out cold."

"Hai," Hotaru agreed as she headed towards her friend. "Mina-san, are you okay?"

"I guess, that short nap helped a little," she answered with pretend grogginess. The blonde sat up and checked out their surroundings, she noticed they were on a hill. "I don't recognize the place. Where are we, Hotaru-chan?"

"Nani? I thought you would be in charge of our destination."

"Me? I was barely able to stand up. Besides, you're to one who thought about teleporting in the first place."

"I was too busy thinking about getting out of that damn place as soon as possible to care where we would end up." The younger girl crossed her arms and tilted her head. "Well, I was thinking about **not** ending up back home." She was still angry.

"Well that's just great! We could be anywhere in Tokyo or Japan. We could even be—"

"Cempazuchitl."

"Nani?" Both girls quieted down and walked over to Carlos. The undead teen was standing before a flower field as he held one. It was a yellowish orange with multiple heart-shaped petals.

"This is the flower for the dead. We call it so because it's normally used to decorate tombs on special occasions." Carlos Navarro closed his eyes, raised his head, felt the sun upon his scarred chest and took a deep breath. "_S_," he sighed, "we're in my country, Mexico." Hotaru was mute and Minako started to count on her fingers.

"Greece, China, England and now Mexico. If this keeps up I'm going to have to change my title to the senshi of travel."

"You're exaggerating," Hotaru replied, "Any idea how we got here, Carlos-san?"

"None," the boy answered, "All I know is I was thinking about my family. I can feel a lot of people in that direction, maybe it's one of the cities where I used to live." He dug his hands into his pockets and turned to Hotaru. "But I guess we can always teleport back to Tokyo, right?"

"Are you kidding?" the pale girl asked, "We're still too tired to try that, even you fell asleep! It's going to take a while until we recover enough."

"The least we can do is call the others and let them know we're okay. Except I can't do it," the older girl showed them her communicator, which Blaze had ruined, "Hotaru-chan, could you?"

"Ie, I threw mine away after leaving Hikawa this morning."

"Nani? Why the hell would you do that?" Hotaru shrugged.

"I guess I was very angry because of you two being captured and Haruka blaming me for it." The blonde shot a questioning gaze at the violet-haired girl.

"I guess we're going to have to walk into the city and find a phone or something," Carlos proposed, "Let's go."

"Matte, Carlos-san, Mina-san, are you two planning to walk into town looking like that?" The aforementioned ones looked at each other. The girl was still wearing her evening gown, and the boy only wore pants and an overcoat. Only Hotaru had changed clothes after the party. "I'd say you two might draw the wrong kind of attention."

"With my figure, that's not much of bother for me," Minako quipped. Hotaru rolled her eyes.

"And no problem at all thanks to my Silent shadow. Plus," Carlos pulled a credit card out of his back pocket, "economical backup, courtesy of our door-opening, unknown quack."

"Carlos-kun, isn't that stealing?" the blue-eyed girl asked.

"Hey, Blaze was torturing you and I had my chest carved open by this guy." He shook the card. "A bit of clothing and lodging is the least they owe us." A faint cooing caught their attention. Minako was the one to answer the call.

"Well hello, we almost forgot about you," she told the pigeon as she picked up the birdcage, "I'll bet the trip was roughest on you, ne?" The bird cooed again in response.

"Are you really going to take care of that thing?" Carlos asked.

"And why not? Paul asked me to. Besides, whatever he did was not this little guy's fault."

"You're right," the undead teen admitted, "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I feel as if I owe something to Paul."

"Exactly. You ready to go, Hotaru-chan?"

"Since forever. And Carlos-san, next time don't flash out the card like that, it gives me the creeps."

"_Qué_?"

"I'll explain later."

Two boys and a girl, about fourteen or fifteen years old, were killing time at a park. She had short, spiky black hair, notorious oriental features and was doing a headstand on top of the bench her companions were sitting on.

"So, the party's tonight," one boy said. "Think you'll be able to bring the stash?" he asked the girl.

"Actually, I was meaning to talk to you guys about something." She turned around and faced them, while still upside down. "I had to get rid of most of the stuff. My aunt's cleaning the whole house and I couldn't risk it."

"_Qué_?" The other boy got up and faced her. "_Perra idiota_, do you any idea how much that grass cost?"

"I do know, _pendejo_, I lent you your share of the money. And you know the trouble I would be in if my uncle finds out about my little habit."

"She's right you know," the first boy agreed lazily, "Not to mention her uncle's the chief of police."

"Yeah, just my luck. But hey, I'm still keeping some in a safe place." She turned again, bent, thrust her legs forward between her arms, took impulse and landed with a gymnast's grace, taking care that she landed on her left foot. "I'm outta here."

"I still don't get how you're able to do that."

"I'm gifted," she boasted as she lit up a cigarette, "I'll see you tonight." She hadn't walked two steps when a sharp sensation crossed her head. _Hermano. …? Where did that come from?_

It turned out that Hotaru and her friends had arrived in Guanajuato, one of the most beautiful cities in Mexico. First thing they did was get new clothes for a less conspicuous appearance. Next they got rooms at a hotel, the girls were going to need some sleep. They left the pigeon there, and now they were having a very big lunch, even Carlos, it was a very fancy restaurant and he missed that sort of food. Language had been a bit of an obstacle for a moment. Hotaru knew a little Spanish from her few trips to Europe, but not enough, so she decided to use English like Minako.

"It's curious," the violet-haired girl said, "it's like there are nothing but alleys all over the city."

"One of its most famous features," the boy said, "There's a cultural festival during the summer, people with violins and mandolins walk around at night playing and singing. A whole bunch of people follows them to enjoy the music and fun." He dragged a piece of bread around his plate. "This is where my family and I lived for nearly a year. There are theaters, concert halls, museums, a thousand and one things to see." He leaned back on his chair. "And I never went to a single one." They sat there in silence for a while. Minako looked around for something that would change the subject and perhaps put her friend in a better mood.

"So, what's the deal with all the skeletons? Any idea, Carlos-kun?"

"_S_, today is November 1st, day of all saints, and tomorrow's the day of the dead." Both girls raised an eyebrow. "People believe that tonight the spirits of departed ones will come back to Earth to visit their family and friends. So what better way to welcome them than throwing a party? Altars are built, tombs are covered with offerings and songs are made up."

"It reminds me of the O-bon festival back home," Hotaru commented, "You know, Carlos-san, it is a bit funny that you got here today of all days."

"It is, isn't it?" They all laughed. All of a sudden he sat up and his face became very serious. "I just thought of something. Wait for me back at the hotel."

"Matte, Carlos-san." He didn't vanish, but he did leave in too much of a hurry to reply. For a while, Hotaru was a bit uncertain on what to do. "Mina-san, could you—"

"Go after him already," the blonde said, "I'll wait. Besides, it's high time I called Usagi-tachi to let them know we're okay." The younger girl gave a thankful grin and ran off. Minako stayed at the table, tapping her spoon on the empty plate. That weird, yellowish, pie-like dessert had really been something. "Damn the calories, I'll have a third."

A villa outside the city:

The leader of the operation overviewed the cargo as it was being loaded into the trucks. Soon it would be shipped off to the whole country and north of the border, resulting in a very substantial profit. But there was one obstacle: José Espinoza, chief of police. Impossible to bribe and steadfast on the war against drugs. A lot of money and product had been lost to this man, not to mention the good image he held before his superior. This time was going to be different, this operation was too big to have ruined by a stupid, goodie-two-shoes cop.

"Boss, we're all set," someone called, "The trucks are ready, and so is the room for our guest tonight."

"Good. Make sure you don't mess it up, we're talking millions here." He turned away from his lackey and watched the trucks again. "I'm not screwing this one up."

Cemetery:

Hotaru had heard once that Mexico is the only country that can laugh at death, or at least take her hand in friendship. While burial grounds are usually solemn and solitary places, today was a total exception, the place was crowded with festivity. Each tomb had a whole family gathered round, decorating it with paper chains, candles, portraits, food offerings and those famed cempazuchitl flowers. The older ones prayed while the children ran around and played as if this was any other party, which was quite true if you think about it. One little boy even went up to Hotaru and, noticing her pale complexion, asked her if she was Death herself and had come to her own celebration. She laughed and sent him off. Such irony, a day and a place made for the dead, and so much life everywhere she looked.

Soon enough, Hotaru caught up with Carlos. He was kneeling before a double grave, still undecorated. She glanced at a tombstone beside it and couldn't help but shiver at seeing her friend's name on it.

"Would you rather be left alone, Carlos-san?"

"No. All the contrary, I'm glad you came." He got up and she stood beside him.

"Your mother was named Keiko? Mine too."

"Really? _S_, she was half-Japanese. Maybe that's why your country is so attractive to me." He sighed longingly. "What was your mother like?" Hotaru was taken a bit by surprise, she hummed and thought a little before answering.

"Well, I don't remember what she looked like, I just remember her. Am I making sense?" Carlos nodded. "The time I had with my real parents was much too short, but every now and then I'm able to recall it so vividly." She wrapped her arms around herself. "Once, we went to the beach when I was three. While Momma was setting lunch, Poppa took me into the water. He was holding me by the arms and I tucked my legs every time the waves came up." She laughed a little. "I was so scared I ended up running to her arms crying." The violet-haired girl looked up and noticed that Carlos' facade was still melancholic. "Carlos-san?"

"I had my family for fifteen years. Dad worked a lot, but he always made time to be with us. Mom was always there, ready to solve every little problem and console every single tear. And my sister, Carmela, always smiling no matter what, and trying to get me to smile as well. Fifteen years they were all there for me." He made a fist so tight his hand bled. "Fifteen years wasted because I was too angry and too cynical to let them near me. Fifteen years and I can't even remember A SINGLE DAY!" He drove a punch into the ground, forming a small crater. "Poe killed my family that night, but not me. I was already dead." Hotaru allowed her friend to weep in sadness for a while before kneeling next to him.

"Tell me, Carlos-san, why did you come back?" The undead teen looked at her with confusion.

"Vengeance of course."

"Ie," she corrected in a kind voice, "you came back to set things right. Just now you've taken the first step, learning what was wrong." She took away his sunglasses. "And don't forget, you're not alone, I'm here for you." They both smiled and embraced each other.

"_Gracias,_ Hotaru. Oh, why didn't I realize how important you are to me sooner?" He squeezed her before letting go. "Let's go back to _Señorita _Aino now." Both friends made their way back to the hotel, their hearts feeling a lot lighter.

"So, your middle name's Guadalupe?"

Minako was back at the hotel room and had been trying to reach her friends over the last three hours, minus one or two minutes she dozed off. Finally, someone picked up at Usagi and Mamoru's apartment.

"_Moshi, moshi_," the princess greeted.

"Usagi-chan, at last I'm able to reach one of you!"

"_MINAKO!? Thank the Kami! What happened? Where are you?_"

"We're all okay, we teleported in the nick of time. Only problem was that we didn't quite plan the destination and ended up in Mexico."

"_Nani? That's Carlos-kun's home country, ne?_"

"Hai, and we all ended up tired from the trip. You should've seen those two together while they slept," she giggled, "Haruka-kun would've made such a fit." She flopped on the bed. "Anyway, we're all going to rest and gather our strength for the trip back home. I'm at the hotel right now, Hotaru-chan and Carlos-kun are out doing something. _I hope it's a date_. Maybe we'll arrive tomorrow night. Unless you guys want to come over and pick us up."

"_Matte, Mina-chan_." There was a pause. "_Mamo-chan wants to talk to you, I'll inform the others. Ja ne._"

"Ja ne, Princess." There was another pause.

"_Mina-chan?_" It was Mamoru.

"Hello handsome, did you miss my voice?" the blonde joked seductively.

"_Yep, you're okay,_" the Earth prince quipped, "_So you ended up in Mexico. Any idea why?_"

"None. Well, Carlos-kun did contribute the most by lending us his power, and he did say that he was thinking of his family. Anyway, we're planning to return as soon as possible."

"_Ie,_" Mamoru replied, "_you may have to stay a bit longer_."

"Nani?" Minako sat up, "What ever for?"

"_I don't know what it is, but there must be a reason for you being there. Stay with Carlos-san and help him anyway you can_."

"Yes Sir, your highness," she saluted, "I better hang up now 'cause this call must be costing a fortune. Ja ne, Mamoru-kun."

"_Ja ne, Mina-chan_."

"Oh! One more thing, the outers are going to kill you for this."

"_I'll be wary_."

Minako hung up the phone and headed for the window, it turned out that she didn't feel sleepy at all anymore.

"Well, as long as I'm here I better do some sightseeing."

Minako's first stop was the marketplace. Not one of those large boutiques with rows and rows of clothing she usually went to with Usagi and Makoto, but a simple and rustic open-air market. There were so many things to see: clay pottery, copper plates, flowers, handmade dolls and baskets, food stands and, naturally, skeletons. She saw puppets, masks and figurines depicting dancers, musicians, weddings and taverns. Her favorite was a group of pallbearers, the skeleton inside the coffin was sitting up and smoking a cigar.

"Boy am I sorry I don't have any cash. (sigh) Maybe after this mess is solved." The blonde stood up and looked back the way she came. Then she turned to look the other way, then she turned again with wide eyes and a sweat drop sliding down her head. "Kuso." You guessed it, she was lost. Of course she tried to ask for directions, but no one there knew English, much less Japanese. "Ugh! How am I ever going to get back to the hotel?" Her face turned blue. "Or home?"

"Hey, are you lost?" someone called in English. Minako spun around and saw a girl with spiky hair.

"Hai. Thank the kami, you are heaven sent."

"British? The blonde hair had me guessing you were a _gringa_." The blue-eyed girl blinked in confusion at the new term. "I know the city well, I can take you wherever you want. However, I have to buy some things to take to the cemetery. I could give you a sort of sightseeing tour, unless you're in a hurry."

"Not at all. I'd really appreciate having a guide." Mina composed herself and followed the younger girl. "I'm Japanese by the way."

"_S_? I'm part Japanese, as you can tell. I've even been to your country once." She made a slightly wry face. "Well, it was a very short visit really. And to be honest, very unpleasant."

"Oh, and what happened?" Minako raised an eyebrow at noticing how her companion became a little upset.

"It's not exactly something I like to share." She looked up and noticed the worry in the blonde's blue eyes. The tone in her voice was quite contrary to the cheerfulness she'd been displaying this whole time. "Hey! Don't worry. It was a terrible experience but it's not like I'm letting it run my life, in fact, I'm planning to go back to Japan soon."

"I'm glad to hear that," Minako answered. The black-haired girl's clothing provided a new conversation subject. "Beer drinking frogs?"

"It's beautiful," Hotaru sighed as the dark-haired teens walked among the alleys, "I feel as though I'm walking among the pictures from a history book." She turned to Carlos. "So much to see, I wish we could stay for a few days."

"So do I," the boy replied, "but time is something we don't have, now that I know what Poe's after." He gritted his teeth. "Damn him! I can't believe he's still able to ruin my life from so far away." The amethyst-eyed girl patted his shoulder.

"We'll have plenty of time soon enough, Carlos. We'll get to see everything you once ignored and more." The undead teen looked at her and smiled gratefully. Instinctively, he took hold of her hand, she didn't object nor blush. They had to let go soon however, as they came up to a very narrow space between two walls. Trying to be a gentleman, Carlos offered the right of way and Hotaru curtsied.

"Stay where you are!"

"_Qué_?" "Nani?" An old woman carrying a basket of offerings blocked their way. Her face was sweet and kind, and a bit of red could still be seen among her white hair.

"You may not continue down this path," the old woman warned, "unless certain conditions are met."

"What sort of conditions?" Hotaru asked warily.

"Charity perhaps?" Carlos assumed. Although she didn't have the appearance of a beggar at all, Hotaru elbowed him for such lack of tact.

"Oh no, not at all. Quite the contrary, I'm here to help you. Do you know where you are?" The young ones shook their heads. "The alley of the kiss, the most magical place in the city of Guanajuato. Look at the balconies above your heads and take notice of how close they are. The legend says that two lovers lived in those houses. He was a poor miner, and she was the daughter of a rich Spaniard. The father disapproved of such relationship and forbid his daughter to see him. But they would fool him so easily, all they had to do was open the windows and celebrate their love with kisses."

"That's a lovely tale," the girl commented as she rested her head on her friend.

"But sad," the old woman continued with a sigh, "as most love stories are. The father found them during one of their trysts. Enraged, he drew out his dagger with all intention of killing the miner, but she got in the way and received the fatal stab. The young miner took his own life after that."

"By the silence."

"A touching tale," Carlos admitted, "But I still don't see why you stopped us."

"Both their spirits stayed, and in retaliation, they curse every couple in love that walks through here." Both teens' eyes widened. "But, if you share a kiss under the balconies, then you will receive their blessing and have good fortune the rest of your lives."

"Umm, well…" Hotaru was blushing terribly. "Arigato, we appreciate your warning, but we're not a couple."

"That's right," Carlos agreed, "We're not in—I mean, we're friends, that's all."

"Oh, my mistake then, _perdón_." The elderly woman ordered her belongings and prepared to leave. "I won't bother you any more with my silly fables. God bless you, my children." She left. Both friends stayed there a while longer, leaning against each wall and facing each other. The girl looked up again at the balconies and tried to picture the doomed couple during their moments of bliss.

"Carlos-san, do you believe the curse could affect us? It's just a folk tale after all."

"Who knows; being the sort of creature I am now, I'm more inclined to believe it." He looked up as well. "Although, I think it's stupid for people to kiss just because of a silly threat."

"It is silly, but it's also sweet," Hotaru retorted, "It's a lovely way to remember those two and the story they shared. And you should be more sensitive about it."

"Yeah, yeah." _How can she always think of others after the way the world has treated her? Why does she stay with something like me? I really should keep her away but she makes me feel…_

Hotaru took a deep breath to clear her thoughts. "I guess there's no sense staying here." The violet-haired girl looked forward and noticed that Carlos was in deep thought. She giggled silently. _Who are you, Carlos? One minute you're a ruthless demon and the next you're the kindest soul. With you I've felt worry, happiness and even hate. But now I look at you and realize I… _"Ahem!" Hotaru cleared her throat loudly, "We should get back to—" He surprised her with a kiss. For a minute, for a second, did it matter? All Carlos and Hotaru could think about was the contact of their lips. When he finally stepped back, she had no idea how she was supposed to react.

"It's you," he told her, "you are the only reason I need to do this." He took her delicate face with his hand. "You're the most beautiful person I ever met, body and soul. Meeting you was the best that could ever happen to me. I'll be the world's biggest fool if I keep denying how valuable you are to me." Hotaru raised her own trembling hand to take his, tears began to well up.

"Baka," she sobbed. Carlos felt scared, he wanted to hold her, to console, to do something so she wouldn't feel so bad. He cursed his stupidity yet again. "Ie, Carlos, I meant both of us." She gazed at him, her eyes had never looked so bright. "I can't believe it took us both so long to admit this." Carlos removed his sunglasses and gazed back at her. For the first time in ages, happiness could be seen in his dark eyes.

They shared a kiss once more, one worthy of all blessings.

The old woman spied on them from another alley.

"Mission accomplished. But I'm not going to leave you alone yet." She disappeared.

Police Station No. 57:

Chief of police José Espinoza was overwhelmed by all the work he had to do, and all of it was somehow related to drugs. The use of those by the population was rising steadily, he was to fill in the reports from dealers being arrested, he had to provide security for a drug prevention benefit and he'd just received a tip about a large shipment taking place sometime this week. He knew who it was, but he could never find enough evidence to jail that person. There had to be a rat or two between his men, but there was no proof of that either. To top it all off, his niece was making friendships he didn't quite approve of.

"Some cop I am, not able to even keep things under control in my own home."

"Hey Chief," an officer called from the door, "I'm sorry to say this, but here's some more paperwork. And your speech for that 'Dark Feather' conference. Do you really think you need to go there, chief?"

"Of course I do. You know my philosophy, every little bit helps. This speech is meant for teenagers, most will think I'm an old kook, but some will listen."

"You're one in a million, Chief, one in a million."

"_Gracias_. By the way, has my wife called?"

"Yes Sir."

"Did she say anything about my niece?"

"Umm yeah, she said the girl's been out since morning and hasn't called. I could go look for her, as a favor."

"(Sigh) No, she'll believe I'm overprotecting her. Carry on." The officer left and chief Espinoza kept working in order to be a better protector, not knowing that he would soon be a victim.

Friendship is just one of love's many faces, so it shouldn't surprise anyone that Minako established a strong bond with the girl she'd just met in no time.

"You're kidding!" the younger one claimed, "You got on the wrong plane?"

"Hai," the blonde replied, "Because I was in a rush I missed my dream trip to Hawaii, but I still had a nice vacation."

"I went to a Hawaiian-theme restaurant in New York once, I even learned the hula dance." The spiky-haired teen shook her hips. "Get me into a grass skirt, top and a lei and I'll have the boys drooling dry." Minako chuckled and slapped the girl's back.

"Kid, I've got the feeling you and I are going to get along great."

"Well you're surely the kind that can get along with anyone," the emerald-eyed girl pointed out, "especially the boys, considering what a flirt you are."

"You're not so shabby yourself. Half the guys we met turned to you."

"_S_," the spiky-haired girl chuckled, "my aunt hates that. She says it's not healthy for me."

"Why? It's normal for girls your age."

"I know. But she says that because of what I've been through." Minako hummed, she was becoming very curious about whatever had happened to this girl. Fortunately, she'd also become mature enough not to force her.

"Give her time, she'll soon realize you've grown up," Mina assured, "Look, it's still early, I'll take you to meet my friends then we'll all go somewhere fun." The blonde looked up. "Tell on the devil, here they come now."

"Doesn't the saying go—?" The black-haired teen came to a halt and blanched. "It can't be!"

"Nani?" Mina waved her hand in front if the girl. "What's the matter?"

"It's impossible, it couldn't be him." She strode towards Carlos, "It can't be you."

"My Spanish must be at a lower level than I thought," Hotaru said, "Doesn't _güerita _mean blonde?"

"_S_, and don't ask me why that guy called you that, it's something I could never figure out." Carlos pulled her close and kissed her hair. "But I do know your color is just perfect for you."

"Hmm, you're perfect for me," the pale girl cooed, "I'm so glad we finally admitted what we feel." She reached up and kissed him. They walked a little more and saw their blonde friend up ahead. "Well, there's Mina-san." Hotaru took a deep breath.

"Worried?"

"A little," the violet-haired girl confessed, "But we deserve to have minna-san become happy for us." She raised an eyebrow. "Eto, who's that girl with her?"

"I don't know. Maybe—" He gasped suddenly. "I don't believe this!"

"Carlos? Carlos what's wrong?" The undead teen did not reply, he kept walking until he was a few feet away from the black-haired girl, who was shaking like a leaf.

"It can't be you," she barely said, "It can't be you. It can't be…" Her eyes rolled back. "It…can't…" She fainted, Carlos sprinted and managed to catch her. The other two girls rushed over.

"Carlos-san, do you know this girl?" Minako asked.

"_Qué_? Didn't she say who she was?"

"Hai," the blonde replied, "She told me her name, it's—Ara."

"Carlos," Hotaru held her beloved reassuringly, "Is she?"

"She's my sister, Carmela."

At the Hotel:

Carmen remained unconscious for over an hour, a state which Carlos had started to envy. Now, she was wide-awake, pacing around the room and puffing on her third cigarette in a row. Hotaru and Minako sat on one of the beds while they watched the encounter between the siblings.

"Okay, Carmen Navarro, get a grip on yourself and look at this logically. You cut therapy too soon, the nature of the festivities is influencing you, you've been nervous because of exams and let's not forget that stinky herb you smoke every now and then." Carlos gathered up his courage and reached out for his sister.

"Carmela—"

"YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD!! For over a year I thought I had no family and now you show up! Why? How? Where the hell were you!?"

"Umm, excuse me," Minako interrupted, "You two have a lot of things to sort out, so Hotaru-chan and I'll will leave and—"

"You two are going to stay," the spiky-haired girl ordered, "I want you to see how big his _pinche cojones _are. First he abandons me, a beaten and raped girl, and now reappears just like that." She glared at her brother. "What gives you the damn right!?" Carlos crossed his arms and frowned.

"You have every right to be angry at me, Carmela," he said calmly, which was hard to do, "But if you don't calm down and let us talk, we'll learn nothing."

"Okay, okay, you're right," Carmen sat down and took another drag, "Your body was never found, so I'll assume you were in a coma, amnesiac or something like that."

"Something like that, yeah."

"All right." The girl leaned back. "I'll say you lost your memory, and you tell me your side of the story."

"Well…(ahem)" He had no choice but to lie. "To make a long story short, I recovered some time ago, had therapy, recalled a few things and finally decided to come here and see you again."

"Did you?" Carmen chuckled, "That's funny 'cause, while I walked along with Mina, she said her friends were having a sort of date." Hotaru huffed and turned to her fellow senshi.

"What can I say?" the blonde shrugged, "I was rooting for you guys."

"So that means," Carmen continued, "you decided: to hell with me, and preferred to be with this ghastly _piruja_."

"DON'T!" Carlos roared, "Blame me all you want. But don't you dare attack Hotaru!" The spiky-haired girl wasn't impressed, she charged and stood face to face before her brother.

"I'll say whatever I want to whoever I want! And don't hide your face, give me those damn things!"

"No!" He tried to stop her but she managed to rip away his sunglasses. Carmen backed away frantically, stumbling over the bed and all the way back against the headboard. She curled up and shook with tremendous fear. Minako tried to approach her but was kept at arm's length.

"Your, (gulp) your eyes," she sobbed, "Carlos, look at me, let me see your eyes."

"Give me the shades, Carmela," Carlos requested while looking away, "please."

"No, look at me, Carlos. Look at me!" Carlos took a deep breath a slowly faced his sister. Her emerald eyes became flooded when she saw his dead ones. "Oh my god. What did those monsters do to you?"

Wordlessly, Carlos went to the table, took hold of a glass and gave Minako a silent request.

"Take my hand, Carmen-chan," the blonde said, "and prepare for what you're about to see." The girl took some deep breaths and nodded. The boy crushed the glass, letting the shards dig into his skin.

"NO! Carlos don't!" his sister weeped. She squeezed Minako's hand harder as Carlos pulled the pieces out of his hand. When she witnessed the regeneration, well, try to imagine what she felt.

"I died, Carmela, they killed me that night. One year later, I was reawakened in order to exact vengeance." He gazed at Hotaru. "At least that's what I once thought."

"Carlos." The violet-haired girl pulled the undead teen over to the other bed and held him.

"That night," Carlos continued, "one of them said that you had been taken care of, and I know now that he is a man of his word, no matter how insane he was at that time." He stared as his sister. "I thought I was alone as well. Carmela, how did you survive?" The girl took a minute to compose herself.

"Do you realize what you're asking me to recall?" He nodded. "But you deserve to know, I guess."

Shinagawa, one year ago:

"You are a strong girl, Carmela, stronger than you believe. You always manage to pull out triumphantly out of any situation. AND THIS TIME IT WILL BE NO DIFFERENT!" He looked straight into her eyes. "You will survive, you will grow up, you will marry, you'll make hundreds of dolls for your children and grandchildren. But first, you must stop crying."

Carmen's breathing began to slow down, her tears ceased and the fear in her face was replaced by brave determination. She jumped forward and gave her brother the tightest hug she ever had given him. "Promise me you'll find me, Carlos." This was more like an order than a plead. "Promise me!"

He returned the hug. "I promise." He kissed her cheek. "_Te quiero, hermana_." He pushed her away and ran.

Carmen curled up in a corner and started crying again. She had to be brave in front of her brother, otherwise his own courage would've vanished, but now that she was alone, there was no reason to hide what she felt. The biggest of those feelings was humiliation.

"Why, why did they do this? I'm a person, a child. Am I just a toy? Something that's used and then thrown away? (sob) Daddy, Mommy," she choked on her tears, "you didn't deserve this, you're good people. I'm only thirteen." She pounded on the floor. "I'm only thirteen! I never did anything wrong! I DON'T DESERVE THIS!"

"That's right, you don't."

The girl got up in fright and saw Paul. The black man approached her slowly, she was too terrified to move.

"You're innocent, you don't deserve to suffer." He put one hand on her head and one on her neck, one swift move was all it would take to snap it. "But your suffering will not last—UGH!" Carmen's courage surged and she threw a right hook against his liver. As he reeled back from the pain she kicked him fiercely on the same spot. Paul fell to his knees and she bolted.

"I'm not going to die!" she yelled before leaving.

Carmen zigzagged among the warehouses, leaving false tracks in each one. With luck, she would be able to reach the police and safety, and hopefully, she would reunite with Carlos. She entered one more warehouse, it was filled with large metal barrels.

"Perfect, these things should make a lot of noise." She went over to examine them. When the girl touched the nearest bunch it tittered a bit, the barrels had been stored in careless piles. Suddenly she heard footfalls, which made the hair in the back of her neck stand up. She turned to the door and saw Paul's profile for a second before he closed the door and melded with the shadows. Carmen cursed and looked for a hiding place, which was going to be hard in this darkness. But maybe she would be able to pull it off and even crush this maniac under these barrels. She began to walk and bumped into the pile again, making a bit of noise.

_Better be careful, otherwise **I'll** become the puree_. Carmen moved carefully and slowly. After a while she saw an accessible window. "Yes!" A flashlight shone into her eyes, after her sight adjusted she saw Paul standing between her and her last chance for escaping.

"It's over child," the ebony man spoke, "please stop running."

"I don't believe this. _Chingada_, why!?" she demanded, "Why do I have to die? What did I do? TELL ME!!"

"You said so yourself earlier, nothing," Paul replied, "Why should the suffering continue then?" Carmen looked at him and for the first time took notice of his eyes. They were actually gentle, enough to make the girl calm down.

"You truly believe you're helping me, don't you?" A nod was the only answer she was given. The dark-haired girl took a deep breath. "My brother's idea of help is to keep me alive, to tell me that I'm strong enough. And I agree with him." She sprinted away blindly and crashed into a third barrel pile, this time it did more than just titter.

"No!" The black martyr tried to rush in but was too late, the child was buried under the heavy containers. The commotion ended just as fast as it had begun, there was no way she could have survived. "Rest in peace," Paul said before leaving.

Next morning, two workers were looking at the mess.

"Great, just great. Who did this?"

"Punks with nothing better to do," the other one said, "Come on, help me with this." They began to move the barrels away but it proved to be hard work.

"If I get an hernia I swear I'm going to… I don't know, but I am going to do something."

"All you can do is complain. Now shut up and—" He noticed a brownish liquid. "Nani?"

"What's that? Did a barrel leak!"

"Ie, this is—Blood!" Adrenaline rose and the barrels were removed at a faster pace.

"Maybe it's an animal."

"Let's hope so." But hope vanished when they saw that bloodied face. "By the kami, please be alive!" He tried to touch her and was startled by a very agonizing gasp.

"I'll get the ambulance!"

Guanajuato, present:

"I made it through the night, but not in one piece." She knocked on her right leg and hard plastic was heard, surprising everyone. "I spent some time at the hospital, uncle José was informed, I was sent here…" Carmen sighed. "And the rest is history." Carmen stood up and faced her brother. "Do you have anything to say?"

"When I first awoke, all I couldn't think of was revenge, I was too angry to do anything else. Just like when I was alive, I wouldn't see beyond my interests." The undead teen stepped forward. "Please believe me, if I had known you were still alive the first thing I would have done was come after you." The spiky-haired girl stood up silently with her arms crossed. "Come on, Sis, I don't know what to do here. Please help me, say something!"

"All I can say is this: you'll be glad to know I was able to recover from that night. Sure, I still have nightmares every once in a while but I did as you told me. I grew up, grew stronger and became the bigger person. Hell," she rustled her hair, "I even got a new 'do." Her emerald eyes darkened. "But I did it alone, Carlos, you never came back. You broke your promise to me, and I hate you for that." She made her way for the door. Carlos tried to reach her but couldn't move. Carmen came to a halt and picked up something. "Oh, I guess these are yours." She threw the item at her brother, the bouquet of cempazuchitl, and finally left.

Hotaru and Minako had remained quiet through the whole tale, the pale girl went to the window and the other one spoke to the boy.

"Carlos-kun, finding you impressed Carmen-chan, she didn't know what she was saying."

"Maybe not but she's right," he replied, "Kashaku told me that a warrior is supposed to sense souls no matter where they are. I should have sensed Carmela since that very first night!" He took a very deep breath. "I need some time alone."

"Hai," the amethyst-eyed girl agreed, "but if you need me, Carlos, I'll be—Why must he keep doing that?"

"Habit I guess." The blonde stifled a yawn. "I don't want to sound insensitive, but I'm really tired. You want to go to sleep too, Hotaru-chan?"

"Ie, I'm going after Carmen-san. Make sure to tell Carlos." She left without waiting for a reply. Minako leaned back and took notice of the birdcage.

"I can't help but wonder if you understood what just happened here."

"Coo." The blonde chuckled and opened the cage, the pigeon hopped onto her arm.

"You're not Artemis-kun, but I need company and beggars can't be picky."

"Coo."

"Matte, Carmen-san!" The named girl turned and saw Hotaru approach.

"If you came to vouch for Carlos, you're wasting your time."

"I didn't come for that, I'm here for company."

"Oh please, spare me your pity," Carmen responded with snide, "Go back to the hotel, I'll be fine by myself."

_You're definitely a Navarro._ "You're wrong again," the pale girl retorted, "I'm the one who needs company." The emerald-eyed girl raised an eyebrow and the amethyst-eyed one explained. "I also told someone in my family that I hated her. I need to be with someone who feels like me."

"I see." Carmen took out another cigarette.

"Aren't three of those enough?" the pale girl scolded, "Not to mention that you're too young to be smoking."

"Hey, I'm still edgy! I need something to help me relax. Plus, no one asked you to come along, so shut up and hold your breath if you don't like it." She was about to light up when Hotaru held her hand out before her.

"Maybe fresh air will be better," she said with a caring tone, "Come on, give it a try." Carmen frowned at the Japanese girl, but she found it impossible to get mad at her. She handed over the cigarette with a sigh, and moaned a little when it was crushed, it was her last one.

"_Gracias_, I guess." They walked quietly for a while, both in deep thought. "Look, we got started on the wrong foot. Your name's Hotaru, right? I'm sorry I called you a cheap slut."

"Nani!?" Hotaru froze. "At what precise moment did you call me that?"

"_Qué_? I…umm…well…" Carmen looked up and gulped at the glare she received. "That's what _piruja_ means." The black-haired girl shrank. "I'm really, really sorry."

"(Sigh) I understand, you needed targets for your anger. Besides, it felt a lot worse when Haruka called me that."

"Who's Haruka?"

"My foster father of sorts." Now it was Carmen's turn to be surprised.

"You must be kidding me! Did he really say that to you?"

"Not exactly, but that's what it felt like. You see, Haruka believes duty comes before the heart and that I should act the same way. But I chose heart and Carlos. That's why we fought and became angry at each other."

"You got angry at two of your parents!? What's your problem, PMS?"

"Ie," the girl huffed, "though I'm starting to suspect you."

"Me neither," the Mexican one said with a sly chuckle, "I just adopted the bitch attitude for defense."

"Che. Anyway, I'm just angry at Haruka, that's it."

"Wait a minute. Earlier you said you were angry at a she, but now you're saying Haruka's your dad."

"Haruka's a woman, but she's got the father role. Get it?"

"Oh." They remained in awkward silence a while. "But anyway, she should have considered your feelings." Carmen blushed. "Just like I should have considered Carlos'. (sigh) _Perdón_," she said sincerely, "I don't know you, but frankly, I would have chosen you for a sister-in-law myself."

"Nani?" Hotaru's face went bright red, "What makes you say that?"

"Don't try to fool me. The way he defended you, Carlos hardly displayed his feelings like that, only someone very important could ever get him to act that way. And for a hermit like him to show such emotion," she winked, "it must be love."

"Well." The violet-haired girl mumbled, she wasn't quite ready to let her friends know they had moved on to the next level, let alone a stranger. But then she realized, she and Carlos had decided not to hide anymore, and Carmen wasn't a stranger anymore. "We formalized our relationship just today. (giggle) In fact, we did so with our first kiss." Carmen's response was to give Hotaru a big hug.

"It doesn't take a genius to know that it's all because of you. You turned my brother into a better person." Her mood saddened. "If he's still a person that is." She huffed and searched all over herself. "_Perdón,_ Hotaru, but I really need a smoke right now. I just hope I still—Aha!" Carmen pulled out something that looked like a cigarette. "Whoops! Wrong pocket." Hotaru snapped the item away.

"Is this what I think it is?"

"_S_, it's a joint," Carmen replied as she snatched it back, "Look, I needed something to help me during my recovery and this thing worked."

"Carmen-san, that's just a placebo! You're going to end up in a worse state because of this addiction!"

"I am not an addict, I got this under control!! Look, Hotaru, I like the way you worry about people, but don't overdo it. I don't want to get angry at you again." Though her voice already sounded violent.

"Me neither. But think about it, okay?"

"Deal," Carmen muttered. She wasn't addicted; she only smoked marihuana during weekends at parties, that meant once a week, and with friends. Of course, she had been going to more and more parties lately, sometimes on weekdays. And now that she thought about it, a few weeks ago she started smoking alone, something she'd never done before. She glanced at Hotaru and noticed the concern in those amethyst eyes. And then she noticed her faint a little. "Hey! Are you okay?"

"Ie, I haven't slept well for nearly two days now."

"My god, you're going to get sick that way." She helped the pale girl up. "My house is that one up ahead, you better stay the night."

"Arigato, I'll call Mina-san and let her know." They heard a motor approach and looked up, it was a black car and two men were getting off. They eyed the girls and argued a bit amongst themselves. "Should we be worried?"

"Just act naturally." They kept walking and the taller man blocked their way.

"What are two cute little girls like you doing out at this hour? Don't you know it's dangerous?"

"Your grandma," Carmen replied harshly, "get the hell out of my way, my friend's tired!" Hotaru gulped. This was acting naturally?

"We said it's dangerous," the other one repeated as he pulled out his gun and aimed at the teenagers, "Get in the car, now."

Quoth the raven:

Although I had to make up a few details, the city of Guanajuato does exist, and so does the alley of the kiss. The city also has more sights than the few I mentioned in the story. I strongly recommend a visit.

In the Sailor V manga, Minako does travel to both Greece and China. And if you've seen the anime, you know she was supposed to live in London for a while.

As for Carmen referring to Hotaru as her sister-in-law, in Mexico such terms are used before marriage, it grants a little more familiarity.


	19. Death and Rebirth 19

****

Death and Rebirth

****

Chapter Nineteen:

The Hotel, about 9:00 a.m.:

Minako stretched and awoke, she looked up and saw that the pigeon had flown back into its cage, Paul had trained it well. On further inspection, she noticed that she and the bird were the only living things in the room.

__

Carlos-kun must still be out thinking. But why hasn't Hotaru-chan returned. This was too worrisome, the blonde spruced up a little and headed outside to find him.

Minako had guessed correctly, the black-haired boy had spent the entire night up in the roof. She had already recovered her full strength, which was more than enough for a senshi to make a simple three-story leap.

"Hey, Carlos-kun, look alive!" Mina called out, "Is Hotaru-chan here with you?"

"_Qué_? She's not in the room with you?" the undead teen asked as he got up with a start.

"Ie, she went out with Carmen-chan and never came back. I thought she'd come up to see you." Carlos didn't answer, he pushed his way past Minako and jumped down from the roof, nearly pushing her off. "Hey, careful baka!" She peered over the edge and saw him searching the ground frantically, "Hmm, ten to one something very interesting happened last night." She also went down.

"_Chingada_!" the dark-eyed boy cursed, "I can hardly feel a trace!"

"Haven't you recovered yet? Maybe you should've slept like I did."

"I'm an undead, stupid, sleep and food don't benefit me. I recover energy by absorbing negative emotions and I didn't get any the whole time we've been here." He kept on scanning. "I can't do anything to find Hotaru! Why didn't you stay up and wait for her?" Aino stood silently, giving Navarro a severe stare. It was something hard to do when facing those opaque eyes, but she managed more than enough to shame him. "_Perdón_."

"(sigh) I understand, but you're not going to accomplish anything if you lose control like that. We need to calm down and take a different approach."

"I'm listening."

"Okay. Your sister mentioned an uncle, ne? And I'm sure you know where he lives."

"Right!" he said as his attitude brightened, "Even if they moved, we can always find him at the police station. Let's go!" He ran off, not waiting for the blue-eyed girl at all.

"Hey! I came up with the idea. Can't you at least wait?" She sighed and followed. "Che."

José Espinoza's home:

It's a shameful reality how the press always manages to arrive first. But something like a kidnapping happening to figures like the chief of police, makes a lot of headlines.

"No, I have no idea where my niece is," the chief's wife said, "Now leave us alone and go pester someone else!"

"Will chief Espinoza consider this maximum priority?"

"Does this mean his own problems are more important than the rest of the populace?"

"You!" The woman glared. She went inside and slammed the door in their faces. His husband had done so much for this city, but now, this incident made him look careless in front of everybody. She raised her head to see José hanging up the phone. "Any luck?"

"No, Sarah," he answered, "I've called all her friends, no one knows where she is." He picked up the note left by the kidnappers, according to it, he would receive a phone call any time soon. "I may be speaking ill of her, but I hope this is just another one of her jokes."

"Don't even say that! We both know Carmen can be an uncouth prankster, but her limits are well defined. She'd never put us through something like this—" The phone rang at that very moment startling both. The officer looked at his wife for a while before taking hold of the receiver. He took a deep breath and answered.

"Espinoza here."

"_Hey chief, are you having a good morning_?"

"_Hijo de perra_! Where's my niece?"

"_Patience, patience. You know the rules, I have the girl and you have to pay in order to get her back_."

"Then I'll pay! Name your price, anything you want is yours," the chief said as he pounded the table.

"_You're not even going to negotiate? I'm surprised, you've always shown a lot more spine than that_."

"If you knew what that child has suffered…" He had to sit down. "What the hell do you want?"

"_Nothing actually, all I need is for you to stay out of my way for a while. You see, I've got a millionaire project tonight, and frankly, intervention from your pigs is something I don't need_."

"This project of yours, it wouldn't have anything to do with that huge load of narcotics I've heard rumors about, would it?"

"_Ain't informants wonderful? Just stay out of my way tonight and I'll deliver Carmen safe and sound. Deal_?"

"Deal," José sighed in resignation.

"_Hey, look on the bright side. You can safely assure you've never accepted bribes, heh-heh_—" The chief slammed the phone down.

A villa outside the city:

"You can safely assure you've never accepted bribes, heh-heh—" The man jerked away from the phone. "Well, someone needs to work on his sense of humor. Now to deal with you guys." He walked up to the pair that had brought Hotaru and Carmen against their will, the girls were handcuffed to a column in the middle of the room. Once he was next to the two men, he slapped them on the side of their heads. "Why the hell did you bring the other girl? We only needed one!"

"Sorry Boss, but we didn't know who to bring in the first place. You described her too vaguely, and these two look Chinese."

"Che." Hotaru knew enough Spanish to understand them. "For your information, baka, I happen to be Japanese."

"Hotaru," Carmen replied, "somehow I don't think that's going to help us at all." She turned to the leader. "It's been a long time, Jairo, I see you moved up from vandalizing." Jairo just chuckled, he was tall, strong and had long hair dyed red. He went over to stand next to girls.

"You know? You two are strangely calm for children who've just been kidnapped."

"Oh please, forgive us for not whimpering," the spiky-haired girl mocked. That terrible experience had tempered Carmen against situations like these. As for Hotaru, seriously now, what does the senshi of death and rebirth have to fear?

"Very funny, but anyway." Jairo knelt in front of the Mexican girl and smirked. "You grew up a lot hotter than I expected. What do you say, still like me?" he asked as he ran his hand over her flank. Carmen countered with a kick that was easily avoided. "Now you," he said as he went over to Hotaru and checked her out, "What should I do with you? I've never seen you before, and I know most of Carmen's closest friends. But you do seem a rich kid, and that will get us some good money. Who are your parents?" She just threw a fierce glare at him.

"Leave it to us, Boss. A few minutes and we'll have her spilling the beans," one of the lackeys offered, eagerly clapping his fist.

"No, let's do one thing at a time," Jairo said with a shaky voice. As he headed for the door, he snapped his fingers suddenly. "I almost forgot!" He pulled out a switchblade, startling the girls, and went over to Carmen.

"Hey, what are you doing!?" Paying no heed to her complaints, he grabbed her leg, ripped her jeans open and detached the fake limb. "Give that back you creep!"

"In a minute." Jairo removed a sort of lid and pulled out a plastic bag. "Not an original hiding spot, but effective." He tossed it to one of his men and let the limb drop carelessly. "Go sell this on the streets. Hugo, you stay and keep an eye on these two."

"_Qué_? Why do I get stuck with babysitting?" The curly haired teen protested.

"Because hopefully, this job is simple enough for you not to screw it up. So shut up and stay."

Huffing, Hugo sat down on the far end of the room while the others left.

"Ugh!" the emerald-eyed girl complained as she slammed the floor, "Can you believe that miser? He's going to earn a shit-load of money and he takes me apart for an extra two bits!" She hit the floor again, this time with her stump, causing every nerve ending to flare up. A giant tear dangled from her eye. "Ow, ow, ouch."

"You know," Hotaru spoke after a while, "Carlos mentioned hanging out with a gang once. Was that **the **Jairo?"

"_Sí_, big bro was beginning to act rebellious and Jairo was considered the coolest guy in school. (sigh) I even had a bit on a crush on him." The spiky-haired girl leaned on the column and took a deep breath. "I just hope we can get out of this one."

"Hai, me too." The violet-haired girl allowed a moment of silence to pass before speaking again. "Carmen-san, are you, umm, are you thinking of…that?"

"_Sí_," Carmen answered somberly, "And I don't need something like this to happen, every now and then I keep getting flashbacks, especially when things get rough."

"Look, you really shouldn't. I'm scared too, but what might happen to us now doesn't have to be that awful." She was surprised to hear Carmen giggle, even Hugo raised an eyebrow. "Did I miss something?"

"You misunderstood," the emerald-eyed girl explained, "It's not the rape I recall, but what Carlos said to me before leaving. My brother, god bless him, told me that I was stronger than anyone. Those words helped me survive that ordeal and recover through this past year." She turned as far as she could in order to face Hotaru. "It's strange but, even though he abandoned me, I actually owe him my life."

"Hai, between us girls, Carlos will never admit it, he may act cold, distant and sometimes cruel, but I know he has a heart even though he claims it to be empty."

"You mean the way he acted," Carmen corrected, "Don't forget he—" She raised her eyebrows in realization. "Say, Hotaru, what else can Carlos do besides healing?"

"Let me put it this way." The amethyst-eyed girl tried to get closer. "We'd better be concerned about our guard here." The girls giggled and Hugo had no idea of what was going on.

Back at Espinoza's home, things were not going well. Carlos had spied on the phone conversation and some time after that, but he couldn't learn anything useful. So he decided to go back to Minako, who was growing a bit impatient by now.

"What did you hear?" the blonde asked after recovering from the surprise. _Why must you always sneak up on people?_

"So far, it seems that uncle José knows the kidnapper but he won't say much to my aunt Sarah, and those reporters aren't helping any. Maybe he'll go to the station later on, we might find something there."

"But your powers can be used to read thoughts, ne?" Minako pointed out, "Why not use them on your uncle?"

"Never on innocents," Carlos reminded her, "I still remember what happened after I tried that stunt on _Señorita_ Kino and I don't want a cop's nightmares."

"Hai," the blonde admitted, "not to mention secrecy. It's already risky enough that Carmen-chan knows about you. But Karasu no shi is a whole other identity, once he goes to his office you can—" She was interrupted by the protests of the press and a car going past them. They managed to get a glimpse from the chief as he went by.

"Time to go," the undead teen said as he ran his hand over his face, "You ready for some rooftop hopping?"

"Are you kidding? It'll be a cold day in the desert before you can outrun a senshi."

"Boy, _Señorita_ Hino wasn't kidding when she mentioned your quoting."

Police Station No. 57:

Although José Espinoza is an extremely strict leader, he also has a sense of comradeship; this combination earned him a lot of respect and friendship from his peers. So when he got to the station he received much needed understanding.

"You okay, Chief? We're all really sorry for what happened."

"We made a collection, anything the creep's asking for, we'll pitch in a little."

"_Gracias,_ I appreciate everything, but what I need right now is some time alone." Chief Espinoza went into his office, not without pats on the back and consolations.

The chief sat down and took several folders out of his desk. He'd been collecting names, assigning agents and doing a lot of research in order to take Jairo down. And now he had to give it all up in order to save his niece. He turned to see a picture on his desk, it was taken at an amusement park at the capital several months ago. Carmen had long since recovered and was once again acting like the cheerful child he used to know. He leaned back on the chair and started remembering.

Eleven months ago:

"I understand," sergeant Espinoza was in the middle of a very serious phone call, "we'll have everything ready here, _gracias_."

"Who was that honey?" his wife asked.

"Sit down, Sarah, I have something very important to tell you."

Once the story was told, the woman was barely able to speak.

"I can't believe it, I just… Why did it have to happen to them?"

"I can't believe Keiko's gone, nor that Carmen was used like that."

"Little Carmen." Sarah couldn't hold back her tears any longer. "What's going to happen for her now?"

"She's coming here with us, that what the call was about." He received a very surprised look. "She's been recovering at a hospital in Japan, but her progress has been slow. She needs to be with family and we're the closest relatives she has."

"Don't you mean the most known," she quipped and then grinned sadly, "(sigh) I better get to work then, I want everything to make her feel at home when she gets here."

A week later, Carmen was being ushered into her new bedroom by her uncle. She looked awful, gloomy and had to walk with the aid of a crutch. The dark-haired girl appraised her new quarters, it was simple enough, with basic furniture and a few decorations. Silently, she walked over to the bed, José sat down with her.

"Its hard to believe the last time I saw you, you were just a child. Now look at you, all grown up into a lady." The girl shrunk and he slapped himself. "In my job I meet a lot of victims, some of them very distraught and I never know what to say to them." The man chuckled sadly. "It's obvious I don't even know what to say now." Carmen just stared at the floor without answering. "Keiko, your mother, was my favorite cousin and my best friend. All the other kids thought it was cool to have a foreign relative, I just thought of her as family." He still got no response but kept on talking. "We were always there for each other, bailing ourselves out of trouble and all that. You have no idea how I felt when I got the news, but I didn't blame myself, if that's what you're thinking. I realized right away that there was nothing I could do with you being so far away." He put his hand on his niece's shoulder. "But you're here now, Carmen, somewhere you can be protected, and I promise you that I'll never let anything bad happen to you again." The emerald-eyed girl finally moved and looked into his eyes. Slowly, her frown became a grateful smile.

"_Gracias,_" she said as she hugged him. The embrace lasted a few minutes until the sergeant got up and the girl lied down.

"Your aunt Sarah's downstairs making a big breakfast, whether you want to eat or—" She'd already fallen asleep. Sighing, he left the room and gently shut the door. "I promise I'll protect you."

"I promised," chief Espinoza repeated to himself. He picked up the phone and had just pressed the first digit when the lights went out. "_Qué_?"

"A lot of people are going to fault you for what you're about to do, officer." The chief looked up and was shocked to see a teen with a painted face standing right in front of his desk. "You're Carmen's guardian, you can't put anyone's welfare before her. But other people won't understand that, not stopping that shipment will condemn the lives of hundreds, they'll just see you as a failure and not as the family man you are."

"Look, son, I don't know who you are," the officer said nervously, "but you've got a lot of nerve coming in here and speaking to me like that."

"Shut up and listen. You're hands are tied but I'm a free agent, I can save your niece."

"Okay that's it! Get out of here before I charge you with—" Karasu hopped onto the desk and knelt an inch away from the man's face.

"Who kidnapped Carmen?" he demanded. His uncle didn't respond as he'd expected. His opaque eyes, demonic voice and strange attire did not inspire trust. And knowing about Carmen's kidnapping made him look very suspicious.

"Hands behind your head, now!" Espinoza ordered as he pulled out his gun and took aim. "For all I know, I tell you and just end up switching kidnappers." Karasu lost his temper. Growling, he pulled out Seventh Sin and with lightning speed sliced the gun in half.

"I'm here to help you, _pendejo_! I know exactly what a victim feels. Every night their fears and anguish act as a beacon to me, guiding me towards the evil and allowing me to punish it. I'm too weak to do that now, so I need a name. Who kidnapped Carmen?" The chief had backed up against the wall and shaking, noticing this, the warrior took a deep breath to calm down. "Look, another girl was kidnapped along with Carmen, just because she was at the wrong place at the wrong time." His gaze became pleading. "She's the one I love."

"Well…" The man let this bit of information set in. "_Perdón_, but I can't take the risk. I owe Carmen's wellbeing to someone very important. You may be telling the truth, but how can you expect me to trust someone who hides his face and acts like a demon?"

"I guess I have no choice," the undead teen accepted. He was about make his marks vanish when the phone rang, the machine answered automatically.

"_Espinoza? Jairo here. For your sake, and your niece's, you better be at that office doing your job. Remember, if I meet any trouble tonight, it's the girl who pays._"

Karasu roared and smashed the machine, along with part of the desk. Espinoza almost had a stroke there.

"God! What are you, some sort of maniac?" But when he looked up there was no one there. Confused, and more worried than ever, he dropped onto his chair. _Great, from a drug dealer to a psycho. Please_, he began to pray, _please keep Carmen safe_.

"I got it!" Karasu shouted as he entered the filing room, "Hotaru and Carmela are at—"

"At Jairo's estate, northeast from here. I just read it," the senshi of love said while fanning a folder. The warrior was dumbfounded.

"Where? How did you find out?"

"Back in London I used to work with the police. The archives are kept here in a similar order, so I knew where and what to look for." The blue-eyed senshi chuckled. "I never thought my experience there would ever become useful."

"Humph! If Kashaku were here, he'd be giving me a lecture about patience right now." He huffed again. "Let me see the address." He checked out the paper and shook his head. "We better get going, even if we run all the way, in the condition I'm in I won't be able to get there before dark."

"Hai, and there's no telling what might happen to Hotaru-chan in her state."

Jairo's villa:

Hotaru was feeling a little bit nervous in fact. Not because of this situation, but due to Carmen's stories about people getting their ears cut off by their kidnappers. Stories that were mixed with unusual black humor. Mostly, she was planning a way to escape this predicament by herself, and not revealing her identity as Sailor Saturn.

Carmen wouldn't admit it, but she was frightened, she used jokes and sarcasm to hide it well. Just like a year ago, she was completely at the mercy of criminals. But she was hopeful, the emerald-eyed girl was determined to survive and outgrow this experience, even if things would take a turn for the worse. And she had faith on her brother, although he also scared her much.

As for their assigned guard, Hugo, he was getting bored out of his skull. His only source of entertainment was playing solitaire with a very worn out deck, and gaze at the pretty pair in front of him. Soon enough, he grew tired of the game and discarded the deck. He yawned loudly and pulled out a cigarette.

"_Qué_?" Carmen sniffed the burning tobacco. "Hey, Hugo, right? Think I could have a drag?"

"Carmen-san!"

"Oh, come on! It's just one puff." The Mexican girl turned back to Hugo. "So, can I?"

"Well," the Curly-haired teen was a bit surprised by the girl's attitude as well, "I guess it won't hurt with you being all tied up. But I'm warning you, don't try to kick me or anything." Carmen glared and showed him her leg for that comment. "_Perdón_, I didn't mean it." He knelt before the girl and put the cigarette on her lips, she took a very long drag.

"_Gracias_, I really needed that!"

"So I see," Hugo huffed after noticing how short she'd made his smoke. "How about you," he asked Hotaru, "would you like some?"

"Arigato but no, I like my lungs the way they are," the violet-haired girl answered gruffly, "Now could you get back to your seat? Your being here gives me the creeps."

"Okay, don't bite my head off." Instead of going all the way back though, Hugo sat on a chair nearby. "You know something? You two are definitely not acting the way I'd expect two kidnapped girls to do so." Hotaru merely shrugged.

"What can I say? I'm used to bad things happening to me."

"As for me," Carmen commented, "I've suffered the worst a girl can possibly go through."

"I don't get it," the teenager wondered, "What's worse than being kept away from your family?"

"I was raped," the spiky-haired girl said bluntly. Hugo was struck dumb upon learning this.

"_Perdón_," he said after a minute, "I had no idea."

"Oh get real! Don't tell me you didn't think of it after spending hours watching two babes in bondage!" Carmen attacked.

"Babes?" Hotaru asked, her cheeks a bright red.

"Well we are."

"No I didn't," the boy said firmly, "I would never do that to a girl, **ever**." Now it was Hotaru and Carmen's turn to be surprised by his tone. Hugo leaned back on his chair and hummed angrily. "My mother was raped as well."

"Oh," the emerald-eyed girl blushed with embarrassment, "_perdón_. I know what that's like. My mom and I where forced to—"

"Actually," Hugo interrupted, "I wasn't born yet at that time."

"Matte." Hotaru pondered over that fact and made a hasty conclusion, "Don't tell me you're…"

"Yep, she had me because of that. Afterwards, things went from bad to worse. Mom had to raise me on her own, she never could marry and was disowned by her family. Of course, things weren't easy for me either. I entered an orphanage almost immediately, went in and out of jail, starved for several weeks straight, robbed here and sold there. It was my big break when I finally met Jairo. Sure, he's a creep and gives me the worst jobs, but I've got a steady income."

"Some income," Carmen hooted, "selling drugs on the streets."

"Said the girl with grass in her leg." Hotaru burst out laughing at that point. "What's so funny?"

"This whole situation," the Japanese girl explained, "Here we are, two kidnapped girls and their captor, chatting to pass the time."

"Aww, come on, I make good company, don't I?"

"Ne? If I remember right, you're the one who pulled out the gun and pointed it at Carmen-san's head."

"But I wasn't going to shoot, in fact, the gun wasn't even loaded."

"_Qué_!?" Carmen yelled angrily, "Are you saying I nearly wet myself because of an empty gun?"

"Uh, you guys must be hungry! I'll go see if I can get you something." He left in quite a hurry, the spiky-haired girl was left fuming and the violet-haired one was desperately trying not to laugh.

"I don't want to even hear one snicker! Got it?"

"Gomen, I'm trying hard not to—Heh, ha, ha—Hey!" Carmen started tickling her easy to reach back.

"Are you going to keep mocking me?"

"Okay, okay, stop it!" Hotaru pleaded while laughing uncontrollably, "Uncle, uncle!" The punishment stopped and the pale girl regained her breath.

"You know something?" Carmen asked after a while, "Hugo's right, we're not acting the way we're expected to, I mean, I don't know about you but I'm actually feeling sorry for him."

"Hai, he never had a chance in his entire life." The Japanese girl grunted. "But we'll worry about that after we get out of here. Finally!" She turned around and showed her free hands to her new friend.

"Don't tell me you just slipped those off."

"Hai, too bad Mako-san didn't see, then she'd stop pestering me about being too thin. Now," she scanned the room, "I need something to open your cuffs."

"Try my fake leg, I'm sure its got a wire somewhere around the ankle." Hotaru checked, and sure enough, she found one.

"This should do it, but I'm afraid I ruined this thing for you."

"Don't worry about it, I can move around just fine." They both sneaked towards the door and opened it a bit, only to see Hugo coming back. "Sweet Mary, what are we gonna do?"

"Up against the wall and keep quiet!" Hotaru ordered. Carmen was going to say something but the door opened, and something else, kept her quiet.

"All I could get were these cupcakes, they're not very tasty but they're something." He saw the girls just sitting there without responding. "What's wrong, mood-swings week?" Still not getting an answer, the curly-haired teen knelt next to Hotaru and tried to shake her by the shoulder, his hand went right through her body. "_Qué_? —Ugh!" Carmen jumped up from behind and slammed her fists on his back, then she struck his head with her knee, more than enough to knock him out.

"_Perdón,_ Hugo, but you'll just get in the way. I promise to tell my uncle about you though." She hopped over to Hotaru, who'd fallen into the trance. "Yo Hotaru, wake up!" The amethyst-eyed girl snapped back into reality. "You didn't plan this quite well, did you?"

"Hai, I still need practice. Now let's beat it before he comes to."

The girls sneaked their way around the estate. Hotaru was surprised at Carmen, her right leg ended below the knee, but this didn't keep her from moving nimbly and quietly. The spiky-haired girl was also puzzled, they were getting around too easily, and whenever a person got close, he just ignored them, as if they were invisible. This, plus the illusions Hotaru had created a minute ago, raised a lot of questions, but she knew this wasn't the time to ask them. They entered an unkempt room.

"This should be a good place to hide," Hotaru noted.

"_Sí_, everyone will be looking for us when our absence is noted. It'll be better to try our escape tonight during that big shipment." Carmen hopped over to a corner and started move some chairs there. "I'm sure you're going to need some sleep now, so we better build a hiding place."

"Hai." The shorthaired girl was amazed at Carmen's spirit, her handicap was practically nonexistent. They laid down and got comfortable, if anyone would enter, he would consider the place to creepy for a girl.

"Hotaru."

"Hai?"

"That thing you did back there, I was wondering. Are you like my brother?"

"Ie, I'm still alive. (Yawn) The only thing we have in common is a life of solitude." _And our feelings towards each other_.

"But my brother was never alone, as far as I know."

"That's right, it's just what I'm helping him realize."

"I see." Carmen rubbed her one tired foot. "Earlier, you said you've been through worse things. What happened to you?" She got no response, Hotaru was sound asleep. The Mexican girl smiled warmly and moved some violet strands away from her face. _So brave, but I still hear a hint of sorrow in your voice. Is it because you're not with Carlos? Did you suffer in the hands of others like me?_ She leaned back and closed her eyes. "You better hurry big bro, 'cause this damsel in distress thing doesn't become your sis nor your lady."

Just as Karasu had expected, it was already dark by the time he and the senshi reached the villa, which they observed from atop a cliff. The chill in the air was painful, and unlike his companion, he had no defense against it. But anything that stimulates the senses, even pain, is welcome by the undead.

"This must be the place," the blue-eyed senshi said, "but my research was hasty, so I could be wrong."

"This is a criminal hideout, I can feel the greed and corruption. But I can't tell if it's Jairo's nor feel Hotaru and Carmela." The warrior took a deep breath. "I hope it's because of her Silent shadow."

"I'm certain that's the reason," the senshi assured. She walked towards the edge and got ready to jump. "Ready?"

"_Sí_," Karasu answered as he mimicked her position. "Before I forget, what's with the new outfit?" Instead of her orange fuku, Venus was now wearing a midriff blouse, blue skirt and a red mask.

"This is my Sailor V guise. Think about it, if Aino Minako travels to Mexico and Venus appears here as well, people will start to suspect."

"That's good thinking, Venus," the dark-eyed teen jumped down. _Even if you're not known in this country._

"_Chingada_ things are crazy," one of the men loading the truck commented, "I can't believe those girls managed to slip away from Hugo. Boy, did Jairo let him have it."

"Yeah? Well shut up and get to work already, otherwise we're going to get it. We gotta get the stuff on its way before those two can tell someone."

"Nah, we're in the middle of nowhere, it'll take forever for them to reach the city."

"Forever is the length of your penance."

"_Qué_?" They both looked up and saw a dark-clad mime. Wordlessly, Karasu jumped and fell on top of one of the men. The other one pulled out a gun, but had no chance to fire thanks to Sailor V's kick.

"Do you mind?" the love senshi requested courteously, "We're trying to be discreet." Both heroes picked up the crooks and got them into the truck, V gasped when she saw the size of the cargo. "Chikuso! The contents of this one truck alone is worth millions," she took one bag, "I could buy a luxury car with this."

"Or, you could kill a thousand people in car crashes." He took the guns and tossed the pair inside. "A lot more of this stuff is sold or used every day. Our neighbor country up north blames us for being the top distributor. If you ask me, it's their fault for being the world's top consumer."

"The way I see it, you're both too busy blaming each other to solve the actual problem," the blonde replied, "But let's go find—" Karasu got shot in the head. "CARLOS!!" Sailor V looked for whoever had fired and found a virtual platoon. More than a dozen men, all armed, surrounded them. On a balcony, he saw a man with long red hair.

"I was expecting the police to interfere, but seeing two suited-up idiots is a nice surprise." Jairo visage went from amused to furious, "Now get over here, girlie, before… before…"

The warrior got to his feet slowly, terrifying everyone, except for Sailor V, who was merely scared. "Well, so much for discretion." The gunfight started.

Hotaru and Carmen knew that getting out wouldn't be easy, especially after waiting so long. From around a corner they spied two guards in front of a door, which led to the outside, one of them with a shotgun.

"How the hell are we going to get past them?" the Mexican girl asked.

"I'll use a flash illusion on them," Hotaru replied, "It's very simple so I won't fall into a trance. Once they're blinded I'll charge and knock them out."

"_Qué_, you versus them?"

"I'm a lot stronger than I seem," the once silent messiah said in an eerie tone. She formed two sparks on her fingertips and sent them fluttering towards the guards. They were quite puzzled at the little things.

"What are these, fireflies?" one of them wondered, "GAHH!" The sparks burst with tremendous light, Hotaru deactivated the silent shadow and attacked, summoning all the power she could without the henshin. Her opponents had no chance.

"All set, Carmen-san, let's go." The spiky-haired girl hopped into view with a worried look in her face. "What's wrong?" The answer came in the shape of a gun.

"I have no idea of what's happening," the newcomer said, "but I do know that you're too dangerous to be left alive, so to hell with Jairo's orders." He cocked the gun and a shot was heard, from the outside. "_Qué_?" Carmen reacted and kicked him in the groin (so to speak), Hotaru sprinted and gave one of her own to the head.

"_Chingada_ that was exciting!" the emerald-eyed girl exclaimed, "What's with all the shooting outside? Are the cops here?"

"Ie, there's only one person I know who can cause all this commotion." Both girls peered outside and witnessed what was going on.

"Crescent beam shower!" Sailor V was having a great time remembering the good old days when she chased down criminals. Karasu was holding his own with the guns he'd just picked up. Both heroes were surrounded and outnumbered, not a problem really, but they were in a hurry. Plus, the blonde senshi was being disturbed a bit by the dark-eyed warrior. "Would you mind taking cover? Seeing you get shot is not a pretty sight."

"Then I better get this over with." The undead teen tossed away the guns and charged towards their attackers. If they were scared before, now they were panicked.

"Shoot him! SHOOT HIM!"

"I AM! I AM!"

Karasu leapt and landed in the middle of them all. He gave them no chance to react, he just started punching, kicking and tossing right and left. Sailor V took care of the rest with her beams. Not being used to facing such fighters, the more sensible ones made a run for it, the girl chuckled at this. She shifted her attention to her partner and noticed that some of the braver, or rather dumber ones, had gone over to join the group, only to be punished.

"That's my brother!?"

"Nani?" Sailor V turned and saw Carmen beside her, Hotaru was just catching up, this one-legged girl could move quite fast. "Hotaru-chan, Carmen-chan, how did you get here?"

"You were taking too long and we got bored," the pale girl quipped, "I see Karasu no shi is taking care of business."

"Karasu no shi? That's what Carlos calls himself?" Carmen wondered in amazement, "And who are you supposed to be?"

"I am the senshi of love and beauty, a pretty soldier, codename wa Sailor V!" The blonde heroine made her famous pose.

"Uh, yeah," the spiky-haired girl sweat-dropped, "It's a cool costume, Mina, but the name kind of lacks something."

"Eto," now V was surprised, "How could you tell?"

"Your turn, Hotaru," the dark-haired girl said without paying attention, "Who are you, Illusion Girl?"

"You might find out someday."

Teeth were knocked off, arms were broken and ribs were shattered. Karasu was delivering a lot of pain but absolutely no death, any bullets fired he made sure to receive them. As much crimes these men had committed, none deserved to die, the warrior would never let that night be repeated ever again. Besides, his fury was being reserved for bigger prey. Everyone was KO'd within seconds, that's when his mind cleared enough to feel her.

"Hotaru!" The two pale teens ran towards each other and embraced the way young lovers do. "Thank goodness your safe," he whispered right before kissing her.

"I knew you'd come," his beloved replied.

"Ahem!" Sailor V and Carmen surprised them. "I'm glad you came, Bro, but if you greet me like that you'll know what's good for you. You weren't that impressive, 'Brandon'." Karasu chuckled and hugged his sister tightly. "Wow! You really cleaned up here. Since when are you a Kung-Fu superhero?"

"I'll explain later. V, find a car and take them back to the city, I have something else to do." Karasu's eyes narrowed and stared at a room on the tallest floor.

Following the stereotype of the criminal kingpin, Jairo's office was full of excessive luxury. He had hardwood floors, big screen TV, costly paintings and a hot tub were he spent quality time with female companionship. Right now, the drug dealer was hiding behind his desk with two high-caliber pistols and regretting not having bought that rifle rack.

"Come on you son of a bitch, come on. I'll show you what I'm made of," Jairo swore, with a voice and pulse as firm as jelly.

"I know exactly what you're made of," a hellish voice whispered into his ear from behind.

"YAHH!" The cheaply dyed redhead stumbled, turned and fired frantically at Karasu. The undead warrior just stood there until the bullets depleted.

"You know? Studies show that people using marihuana are slower at learning."

"Who, who the _chingada_ are you?"

"An old friend," Karasu answered, with narrow eyes. He sprinted over the desk and grabbed Jairo by the neck. "The real question is: Do you now who you are?"

"_Qué?_ What do you mean?"

"Do you know who you are, the person I see? I see a greedy jerk who uses people's solitude, sadness and weakness for his own gain."

"Oh please," Jairo protested, trying to act brave, "I never force anyone, they want to buy and I sell the stuff. Those kids complain of how their families don't understand them. I don't throw any sale's pitch of how drugs will help them escape their loneliness, they ask by themselves and I provide, simple as that."

"Simple as that!?" Karasu roared, "You believe that turning kids into addicts is not forcing? For each child who buys your poison the whole family falls into anguish. But you don't care, the only thing that matters to you is your stinking pocket—_Qué?_" He yanked away a medallion he'd just noticed from his neck and tossed him towards the TV. The glass and static electricity hurt as the dealer rose, when he looked through the strands of his dyed hair he saw something unexpected, Karasu trembling. The dark-haired teen's rage arose. "A whirlpool." He crushed the metal item. "You're the one who told Poe about the Navarro family!"

"Huh?" Confusion was added to Jairo's fear when he heard the name of his superior. Lucky for him, this was also a reminder that he had a trump card. Jairo stumbled over to an urn he kept on a table. Said item had been given to him by Allen Poe, along with instructions not to open it unless there was an emergency. "This sure as hell is one!"

"I don't know what you're going to do but it won't work." Karasu moved slowly and the urn was opened, a green mist surrounded Jairo. "_Qué!?_"

Hotaru and Sailor V, were busy locking everyone inside the trucks, Carmen kept looking anxiously towards the direction her brother had gone off to. It's moments like this when she longed for simple things like tapping her foot.

"I'm afraid to ask," she said as she hopped over to her friends, "but what exactly is Carlos going to do to Jairo?"

"Call him Karasu," Hotaru reminded, "and what he's going to do is give that creep what he deserves." The spiky haired girl gulped. "I don't want to scare you, Carmen-san, but you must know. The punishment Karasu delivers depends on what he finds inside the person. And there's a good chance that…" She just couldn't say it.

"I see. You don't have to be so touchy, Hotaru, I guess I would act the same had it been me."

"But you weren't," the love senshi said as she placed her hand on the emerald-eyed girl's shoulder, "You were meant to survive, and believe me there's a reason."

"_Gracias,_ V." Suddenly they heard the sound of glass shattering from above, they spun and saw Karasu as he crashed down. "Bro!"

"Keep away!" Something else jumped down, it caused a great tremor when it landed. The three girls gasped when they saw the ten-foot-tall green giant. It had gray armor, a diadem with a black jewel and Jairo's face.

"This is amazing," the monster growled, "I've never felt such ecstasy in my entire life." He caught sight of the dark-haired girls. "So it's you, I'll bet this is all your fault." Jairo roared and attacked.

"Hotaru!"

"Saturn crisis power, make up!" Sailor Saturn aimed the Silence Glaive and fired. "Saturn shockwave!" The blast threw the giant against a truck. "Carmen-san, get somewhere safe!"

"Does everyone here have powers but me?" the Mexican girl protested before obeying.

Jairo got to his feet groggily, Karasu stood in front and drew out Seventh Sin.

"Enjoy this while it lasts, _pendejo_, 'cause you're heading into a world of pain."

"Blah, blah, blah, just fight." The undead teen was glad to comply. He sliced at Jairo and the other one fought back with the spikes in his gauntlets. The once human drug dealer's strength was greater, but he lacked the conviction and cause needed for fighting.

"Venus love me chain!" the lasso caught the giant's arm just before he was about to pound Karasu. Sailor V yanked with all of her might as managed to dislocate his arm, or so it seemed. The green monster laughed, his arm morphed into gooey tentacles that crept rapidly along the chain.

"Nani? ARGH!" the blonde senshi was whipped on her face, shoulder and side.

"Ebon shears!" Karasu hit his foe square in the chest, his breastplate chattered and blood spurted out. Not giving Jairo an inch, Saturn charged with her Silence Glaive and carved a larger wound, the giant roared and swatted the silent senshi away.

"Saturn!" Karasu leapt and caught her in midair, then he let her down gently. "Think you can still go on?"

"Please, it'll take more than a little flap like that to put me down." Grinning with confidence, both teens readied their weapons and took a menacing stance. Jairo morphed his hands into swords.

"Isn't this cute? The kiddy heroes fighting side by side."

"I say you're jealous," the silent senshi retorted, "Karasu receives my affection, whereas I'm sure you have to pay for some." This comment enraged Jairo tremendously, he charged but was careless in his defense, a glaive and a katana sliced his stomach. He roared in pain while, as a reflex, tentacles sprouted out from the wounds and punched the heroes away. "Chikuso." The senshi of death and rebirth wiped a drop of blood away from her mouth. "We need a plan if we're ever going to beat him."

"I'm thinking—" He heard glass breaking. "_Qué_?"

"Perfect!" Jairo also heard and saw Carmen standing beside a truck, frozen in fear. His arm stretched and grabbed the shrieking girl, true to his cowardly nature, he used her as a shield. "_Ándale_! Try to attack me now." He heard a gun cock. "Huh?"

"Surprise," the dark-haired girl said with a cynical smile. She fired at the diadem at pointblank range.

During the fight, Carmen had noticed how the jewel on it constantly flashed, so she figured that it was his weak spot. She picked up a gun from the ground and broke a window to draw attention.

Roaring uncontrollably, Jairo threw away his hostage, the girl landed on her foot and allowed her body to roll freely.

"Let's give him all we have." Sailor V knew it was now or never. "Venus love and beauty shock!"

"Silence glaive surprise!" The energies from both senshi blasted the giant. Karasu leapt and slashed with Seventh Sin, seemingly cleaving him in half. Energy exploded violently, and once the smoke cleared, all that was left was an unconscious Jairo, all bloodied and in shredded clothing. Breathing heavily, Karasu no shi walked up to his sister.

"Ouch," the girl complained, rubbing her behind, "I should've made a flip instead of a tumble." She then saw her brother's pale hand being held before her.

"You okay, Sis?" the dark-eyed warrior asked worriedly.

"The same stupid bro. You think a one-legged girl doesn't fall from time to time?" The Navarro siblings laughed and hugged each other.

Hours later, Carmen was back home watching the news along with her aunt and uncle.

"…_commonly known as Jairo was arrested today along with his entire organization. This act will greatly decrease the distribution of narcotics in our city of Guanajuato. Authorities are unable to explain how nor who managed to do this. The only clue left is this bizarre drawing made with fire._" The spiky-haired girl smiled when she saw the large flaming birdlike silhouette onscreen.

"I'm going to bed now," she announced as she rose with the aid of her crutch. She hugged and kissed her family goodnight.

"Tomorrow I'm going to dedicate my entire day to you," her uncle promised.

"We're so thankful you're back safe," her aunt said through happy sobs.

"So am I, auntie Sarah, uncle José."

Carmen closed the door, turned on the light and nearly had a heart attack when she saw her brother as Karasu.

"Hotaru warned me about this but I didn't quite believe it. Did you come to say goodbye?"

"_Sí_, but mostly I want to talk. I'm sure you must have a lot of questions."

"Thousands of questions, Bro. For example: what the hell did you do to Jairo? After you touched him he was left shaking and mumbling."

"I gave him what he deserved," Karasu responded simply, "He never did kill anyone but created a lot of addicts. What I gave him was angst, he'll always feel that his body lacks something and such yearning will never vanish. At least until he purges his crimes, which will take long." His sister nodded silently, then started laughing.

"In other words, you maddened him with just a touch," Carmen shook her head, "Honestly, I have no idea how I should feel. You terrify me, Bro, but if it wasn't for you I'd probably be dead by now. You're a living dead that acts like a demon but also as a hero. And learning all of this in just one day doesn't make it any easier."

"I know, Carmela, I know. I'm not asking for understanding, I just need to know whether you'll be all right when I leave."

"Here's your answer." She leapt over and gave him a very tight hug and a kiss to the cheek. "I don't care if you're no longer human, you're my brother and I love you, no matter how much you may scare me."

"I love you too, Carmela." He stepped back and held her, his marks had vanished and Carlos' face could be seen. "And now that I know you're alive I can protect you. If you're ever in danger again, I'll be there, and that's a promise I **will** keep."

"Hey now, don't you go thinking I'm helpless or else you'll be in danger. Now get your ass back to Japan and get those creeps."

"Yes ma'am!" One more hug and Carlos left out the window, Carmen stood there thinking.

She thought about the things Hotaru had told her back at the villa, of how Carlos was finally making friends and feeling happy with his existence, and the fact that he was managing all of this after death added something special.

"I guess it's never to late to make things better." The emerald-eyed girl looked out the window at the stars above, she took a deep breath and realized that she had never felt so good in a very long time. "Carlos had a plan for me a year ago, it's high time I made my part." She left the room. "Auntie Sarah, I need to borrow your sewing kit."


	20. Death and Rebirth 20

****

Death and Rebirth

Chapter twenty:

Dark Feather Tower:

Kashaku, Phobos and Deimos watched in amazement as the gigantic structure shook, Luna and Artemis were seeing this from the rooftop of a nearby building.

"Caw! _Don't take this the wrong way, Guardian Kashaku_," Phobos commented, "_But I'll take this as a sign that Karasu no shi is alive and well_."

"_I definitely agree_. Caw?" The guardian's eyes widened in surprise. "_I can feel them! Let's go!_" He dove as fast as he could, so fast the Mars twins hesitated a bit.

The cats' position was a bit more precarious; the area of the compound extended beyond Poe's tower, so tremors could be felt all around, including the building they were on. The felines escaped quickly towards an open area, once there, Artemis covered Luna for as long as the explosions continued.

"Are you all right, love?" the white cat asked concernedly to his mate.

"Hai, domo arigato, Artemis-kun," the black cat answered, "What the hell was Poe keeping in there?"

"No idea, but I'm glad it was destroyed. Who knows what he was planning to do with—Nani?" He saw one of the crows lurch and plummet. "Something's happened, follow me!"

"CAW! _KASHAKU!_" Deimos saw her friend fall and immediately dove at breakneck speed. She glimpsed the second they were at the same level and noticed that he'd fainted. She looked down, appraised how close the ground was and planned hastily. Kashaku was too heavy for her avian form, there was no way she could stop him, but she might be able to slow him down. The blue-eyed crow positioned herself directly underneath and opened her wings as wide as she could. The blow was tremendous but her plan succeeded, she was able to improvise a parachute with her body. Just as they were about to hit the ground, Deimos changed into a human and landed with Kashaku in her arms. Phobos was with them a second later and changed as well.

"Deimos-chan, are you all right? How is Guardian Kashaku?"

"I'm okay, onee-chan, but I'm not so sure about Kashaku-kun." She tried to rouse him. "Kashaku-kun, Kashaku please say something." The bird groaned and awoke groggily.

"_The warrior…Lady Saturn, Lady Venus, they…they're gone_."

The sewers:

Sailor Pluto stood with her hands against the rubble, reciting a mantra in order to calm herself. Mercury was beside her, scanning with her visor.

"Found anything yet?" the time senshi asked.

"Ie, I'm getting a lot of interference."

"Take your time, I don't want a rushed answer." Sailor Moon, Mars, Neptune and Uranus arrived a minute later.

"Mamo-chan!!" the Moon princess ran into the arms of her love, "When I heard the explosion I feared the worst," she said through sobs.

"There was no need to worry, Usako," he replied tenderly, "But what about you? Your lives were endangered as well."

"But what happened?" Uranus interrupted before the blonde senshi could say anything, "What the hell happened to Hime-chan?"

"Chill out, Uranus," Jupiter replied, "Mercury's looking into it right now." _If I tell her about those fallen rocks, she's likely to use her World shaking and bury all of us._ She sweat-dropped as she thought about this.

"They made it!" the water senshi announced with a big sigh of relief, "Venus-tachi managed to teleport in the nick of time, but I can't tell where to."

"Then we'll figure out the hard way," Pluto suggested, "We'll go back home and see if they're there."

"Tuxedo Kamen and I will check out Mina-chan's apartment, and they might also be at Hikawa temple."

"Or Karasu's nest," Mars added. The tunnels shook again. "We better get going, otherwise no one will be there to find them." Everybody agreed and hurried out of there.

"_My ladies, highnesses_." Kashaku hopped onto Deimos' shoulder. "_I'm glad to see the cataclysm didn't affect you._"

"There's more good news, Kashaku-kun," Jupiter added. She told the animals what Mercury had found out, the guardian wasn't relieved however.

"Kashaku-san told us a moment ago," Luna explained, "he can't feel their presences anywhere."

"They could be using the Silent shadow," Artemis suggested, "but that's very unlikely now that they've escaped."

"Hidden or not, we have to go look for them," Neptune said. Everyone left the place, the Earth prince and Moon princess took the cats away, the fire and water senshi stayed with the birds.

"Deimos-chan, Phobos-chan, would you mind going along with Kashaku-san to the nest while Mercury and I go to the temple?"

"Not at all," the blue clad girl answered as she got to her feet, "We'll be there—Yaah!" She fell and clutched her ankle.

"Deimos!" Phobos knelt next to her sister, "What's wrong?"

"I think I hurt myself after that rough landing." The long-haired girl noticed how the male crow lowered his head with guilt. "It's not your fault, Guardian Kashaku, you'd be dead by now if I hadn't taken that risk." Everyone looked at her curiously as Mercury checked her wound.

"You won't be able to walk with this, and I believe landings will also be hard. I can make a temporary bandage while the ambulances arrive, but only if you remain in human form." She got up. "I'll stay with her, the rest of you go on."

"Right, please take good care of my sister, Princess Mercury." The red-eyed girl changed and flew away along with Kashaku. Mars left for Hikawa.

"Princess Mercury, wouldn't it be easier if I transformed and you took me to a veterinarian?"

"Ie, I don't know anyone capable enough, and Rei-chan would take it out on me if your condition worsens." The azure-haired senshi gave an apologetic stare. "So I'm afraid you'll be grounded for a while." Deimos sighed and threw her head back.

"I guess it's true then, one crow alone means bad luck."

And so began a wild goose chase, or crow chase, if you will. The senshi couldn't find their friends at each of their homes, so they looked at other places where Minako and Hotaru used to hang out. They searched the park, Crown game center, the café, the library; Kashaku led Phobos and the cats around Karasu's usual patrol routes. Uranus even went as far as searching castles Mazeran and Titan.

When the search had begun, there was still plenty of sunlight, and now, it was about 1:00 a.m. when Usagi and Mamoru came home to rest a little. The blonde girl dragged herself up to the couch and flopped.

"I swear, if those three are doing this on purpose, I'm going to kill them." The Earth prince chuckled as he sat down beside her, he started rubbing her back.

"There's one factor we haven't considered," Mamoru noted, "Karasu's zealousness. There's a chance that they haven't left the compound at all."

"I doubt it," Usagi replied, "Carlos-san's first priority would be to keep Hotaru-chan out of danger." The black-haired man nodded in agreement. The phone rang at that moment and the blue-eyed girl answered. "Moshi, moshi."

"_Usagi-chan, at last I'm able to reach one of you!_"

"MINAKO!?" Usagi sat up with a start, knocking her husband off the couch. "Thank the Kami! What happened? Where are you?"

"_We're all okay, we teleported in the nick of time. Only problem was that we didn't quite plan the destination and ended up in Mexico_."

"Nani?" She raised an eyebrow. "That's Carlos-kun's home country, ne?"

"_Hai, and we all ended up tired from the trip. You should've seen those two together while they slept_. _Haruka-kun would've made such a fit._" There was a muffled sound. "_Anyway, we're all going to rest and gather our strength for the trip back home. I'm at the hotel right now, Hotaru-chan and Carlos-kun are out doing something_. _Maybe we'll arrive tomorrow night. Unless you guys want to come over and pick us up_."

"Matte, Mina-chan." Mamoru was signaling for the phone. "Mamo-chan wants to talk to you, I'll inform the others. Ja ne."

"_Ja ne, Princess_." Mamoru took the receiver while his wife went a distance away to use her communicator.

"Mina-chan?"

"_Hello handsome, did you miss my voice?_"

"Yep, you're okay," the Earth prince quipped as he rolled his eyes, "So you ended up in Mexico. Any idea why?"

"_None. Well, Carlos-kun did contribute the most by lending us his power, and he did say that he was thinking of his family. Anyway, we're planning to return as soon as possible_."

"Ie," Mamoru replied. He scratched his chin and thought a little. "You may have to stay a bit longer."

"_Nani? What ever for?_"

"I don't know what it is, but there must be a reason for you being there. Stay with Carlos-san and help him anyway you can."

"_Yes Sir, your highness. I better hang up now 'cause this call must be costing a fortune. Ja ne, Mamoru-kun_."

"Ja ne, Mina-chan."

"_Oh! One more thing, the outers are going to kill you for this_."

"I'll be wary." He hung up the phone and looked up, Usagi stood there with her arms crossed, her head tilted and her finger tapping.

"Mamo-chan, are you sure of what you're saying?"

"Their being there is more than a coincidence, Usako," he explained, "Plus, now that this crisis is solved, other things weigh on my mind."

The senshi rejoined at their leaders' apartment soon afterwards. Obviously, the outers arrived first, followed by Mars, four of the animals entered through the window, Ami and the still human Deimos came in last, Makoto was going to be delayed.

Deimos was in a very sour mood, not because of her foot, but for the fact that she had to walk on her way here. The bandage on her ankle was foreign and Ami didn't know whether it would go along with the shape shifting, therefore, the Coronis-born crow was ordered to keep her featherless guise.

Usagi made tea to help everyone relax while Mamoru gave the news, Setsuna gave a small prayer of thanks and went to the balcony, she needed some time to herself.

"_That explains it_," Kashaku said with visible relief, "_the range of my senses can only go as far as a few miles_."

"There's one thing I don't understand," Michiru pointed out, "Why not go get them now? We'll accomplish a lot more with Carlos-san being here to tell us what he knows. And what could be so important for him to stay there?"

"I don't know," Mamoru answered, "but I do know that we have something to do here. If Allen Poe is really the one behind the whirlpool gang and the drones, we must stop him before any more disasters occur."

"Let's do it then," Haruka said, clapping her fist eagerly, "let's go to what's left of the tower and give that creep what-four!"

"Use you head, Haruka-kun," Rei scolded, "After that explosion, security will be raised one hundred percent. Plus, with all of the money and resources he owns, if we attack now he's likely to twist the facts and make us look like terrorists. Kuso."

"And only Poe is our objective," Usagi added, "Hundreds of people work there, and I'm sure they knew nothing about their employer." The blonde girl buried her face in her hands. "Ara, the people in the tower, I never stopped to think about them."

"They're safe, Usagi-chan," the azure-haired girl informed, "While Deimos-chan and I were at the hospital, I took some time to check the incoming reports with the help of my computer. There were no serious injuries."

"Meanwhile," Deimos butted in, "I was abandoned at the waiting room to bore myself out of my mind."

"_Come now_," Phobos called from the window, "_If it was anything like last time, you attracted more than enough guys to keep you busy_." The blue twin merely huffed.

"Could we get back to the problem at hand?" Haruka asked, "We know what we're supposed to do, now let's figure out how to do it." A discussion began, one consisting of plans, suggestions and such.

Kashaku flew over to Setsuna, who was looking at the night sky deep in though. Artemis was there as well.

"_You are worried about Ladies Saturn and Venus_," the crow guessed.

"Obviously," the white cat replied, "just as you must be worried about Carlos-san."

"_I am, that much is true. Not once had a warrior and his guardian become separate by such distance_." Kashaku grumbled. "_Not to mention the sort of trouble his immaturity will get him into_." He was not about to admit his true feelings out loud.

"They'll be all right," the emerald-haired woman spoke softly, "I know they will." She leaned down and rested her chin on the guardrail. "I understand Mamoru-san's suspicions, but how can I help not worrying? Hime-chan has never been on her own before, and I'm guessing neither has Carlos-san. Who knows what opponents she might face."

"_Both the warrior and Lady Saturn are capable fighters, no adversity should pose a serious threat to them_."

"Hai, Sailor Saturn and Karasu no shi can fight, but I'm referring to Tomoe Hotaru and Navarro Carlos. Can two children be left to fend on their own?" Both animals nodded in agreement.

"You might be exaggerating, Setsuna-san," Artemis replied, "They're smart kids, and besides, they're not children anymore."

"Artemis-san, that's something else that worries me." The mocha-skinned woman stood up and tapped her fingers. "A boy and a girl, very fond of each other, far away and unsupervised." This time the animals gave big nods.

"_Maybe we shouldn't worry about that either,_" the guardian reasoned, "_They do have Lady Venus for a chaperone_." Setsuna burst out laughing at that comment.

"Ha! Domo arigato, Kashaku-san, I needed that."

"_Umm_…" The crow just looked at her in confusion and then turned to the white cat"_Sir Artemis, was it something I said?_"

"You need to get to know Mina-chan a little better."

"_Attenzione tutti!_"

The trio jumped when they heard Makoto and Shigeru barging in. They went inside to find out what all the commotion was about.

"Tune into the newscast," the brunette ordered, "Now!" Usagi fumbled with the remote and turned on the set, Allen Poe appeared on the screen.

"_We ignore whether this destruction is the result of an accident or sabotage, but I can assure you that we are now searching for whoever was responsible. Furthermore, and most importantly, I will personally grant financial aid to all the ones affected_…"

"My, he does work fast," the blonde commented.

"Hai, but that's not what we meant for you to see." Makoto gulped at the next image. "That is." The news was now reporting a different sort of disaster area, far from Dark Feather tower. The entire group could see large slashes on the walls and floor, and some of the stone seemed to be melted.

"The drones," Mamoru guessed as he got to his feet, "Ami-chan, can you find out where they're at?"

"Umm," the azure-haired girl tapped on her computer, "They're too disperse, it'll take a while to find and destroy—Matte!" She came up with new data. "The swarms seem to be forming around groceries and storage areas. They're looking for food!"

"That should make things a little simpler for us," Michiru commented, "But still, we only have one computer and several target areas."

"_Lady Phobos and I can provide some aid in that area_," Kashaku suggested, "_We can search out the creatures and call you through telepathy_."

"Good. Eternal Moon power!"

"Mercury/Mars crisis power!"

"Jupiter/Pluto crisis power!"

"Uranus/ Neptune crisis power, make up!"

Shigeru had to shield his eyes a bit. Witnessing one or two senshi perform the henshin can be quite a spectacle, but seven at once is much too overwhelming. His sight however was directed towards his fiancée becoming Sailor Jupiter. No matter how many times he saw that, it always got to him.

"I'll stay here and look after Signorinas Deimos and Luna and Signor Artemis." The mousy-haired man stepped up to the thunder senshi and gave her a quick kiss and embrace. "You concentrate on taking care of yourself, okay?"

"I will, Andre-chan." In pairs, the senshi and Tuxedo Kamen went their separate ways. Kashaku immediately flew after them, but Phobos hesitated a moment.

"Onee-chan, the princesses and Guardian Kashaku are waiting for you. Hurry!"

"_Hai, it's just that I…well_—Caw!" The red-eyed crow ruffled her feathers and bolted away, leaving her sister a bit confused.

"She's worried about you, Deimos-chan," Luna said as she walked over to her friend and put a paw on her knee, "you know she always treats you as the little sister."

"Hai, I guess you're right, but it was more than worry," the blue-clad twin replied, "I could see it in her eyes." She leaned back on the couch and started petting the black cat. _I always wondered why humans like to do this_.

Dark Feather Tower:

Hawkins bent his insect arms and put on a new lab-coat, being in charge of organizing many of Allen's affairs had kept him busy through the rest of the day and most of the night. What upset him the most was the fact that it would take the workers weeks to clear the compound, so he would not be able to find out what had happened until then. To a creature like Hawkins, not being able to perform research was worse than torture.

Poe and Kara entered the room at that moment, both of them with looks of concern. The warlock walked up and slammed his fist on his table.

"Damn it, everything was going so well! When I find out who caused this disaster I'll make go through one thousand hells."

"Now, Allen, don't dramatize," his mocha-skinned lover warned, "You still have that spell and enough resources to cast it. Sure, the Karasu escaped, but you said that he's not necessary."

"Don't you understand how dangerous this situation is?" Poe asked angrily, "Now that he knows about my plans he's become a lot more dangerous. The spell can only be cast under certain conditions, until then, I'm at his mercy." _Not to mention I need to experiment first before trying it on myself_.

"Then I'll take care of you until then," Kara replied, "Or are you forgetting how I became famous for breaking the knees of five members of the secret service?"

"I didn't forget, nor that you did something else before the punishment."

"If I may say something," Hawkins interrupted, "There are other pressing issues. Number one: Chris will not be able to function any time soon; two: the senshi know about us as well; and three: all the drones that escaped. They are still unprogrammed an utterly uncontrollable. Luckily, they have a preference for sweet foods rather than flesh, so it should take some time before human casualties occur. But afterwards, we'll meet with a lot of difficulties when the drones are presented to the military."

"Hawkins, had I been worried about the drones becoming public, I never would've used them at the school. Before we introduce the drones, we must wait for genetics to advance, and that won't occur for another fifty years. Anyone who might recognize them by that time will be considered either senile or crazy, providing said person was able to see them and survive, which is quite unlikely. And as for the last two problems you mentioned, we can assume that they should be able to neutralize each other. The senshi would never leave a threat like the drones unattended." Poe started to feel lightheaded and leaned on his desk, Kara rushed to his aid.

"Come along Allen you need some rest." She turned to the mutated scientist, "You better take a nap too, Doc, I'm sure you have a lot of work as well, and you'll mess it up if you're too tired."

"I will, Miss Matthews, right after I check some numbers." The black-haired woman nodded and led the warlock outside. The mad doctor took out a hand-held computer and pressed a few buttons. "Well, getting the cyborg to function will require time, but not much trouble. As for Mr. Paul, it seems that he'll soon accomplish his purpose."

"Death scream!"

"Supreme thunder dragon!" The electrical beast seemed to swallow half a dozen drones. Luckily for the senshi, most of the rogue drones were skeletons and not fully mature yet. "The mighty Jupiter reduced to bug control. Is there a way to make this situation more humiliating?"

"Just be thankful that it's not more difficult," the long-haired senshi replied, "If we weren't counting with Phobos-chan's help, we wouldn't have achieved this must progress." She looked up and searched for the female crow. They were organized the following way: this pair received aid from Phobos while Sailor Moon and Mars were assisted by Kashaku, Tuxedo Kamen and Mercury were using the latter's computer, and Neptune and Uranus were being guided through their communicators.

"It will take us more than one night if we don't find a way to stop Poe." The thunder senshi punched a hole in a wall. "I agree with Uranus, the best thing would be striking directly, now!"

"I know how you feel, Jupiter," the time senshi said, "I had several meetings with Poe, and I soon labeled him as a decent man. I really want to get even for playing me for such a fool." She took a deep breath. "But we have no idea how powerful he is. Suppose we attack the tower and it turns out to be a virtual battle station."

"True, but what you just said gave me an idea." The brunette snapped her fingers. "The creep might still not know our secret identities, and that's something **we** can use to our advantage."

"Exactly!" Pluto exclaimed as her ruby eyes went wide, "Poe and Meioh Setsuna have been developing a close professional relationship. We just have to figure out how to use this fact." The expression on her face became a little somber.

"What is it?"

"Nothing, it's just…(sigh). Call me crazy but for a moment, I actually felt bad for Kara-san." Jupiter didn't reply right away.

"Hai, I guess he has a lot of people fooled."

"Caw, caw." Both senshi looked up.

"I guess Phobos-chan located another swarm," Jupiter noted.

"Hai, let's hurry before they start moving."

Elsewhere, Tuxedo Kamen and Sailor Mercury dispatched another drone batch.

"It's a good thing Karasu figured out the drones' weak spot," the Earth prince said as he aimed towards the insects' eyes, "I'm saving a fortune on roses."

"Hai, I just hope the others are doing as well as we are." The water senshi looked around with her visor. "There are three more in that direction, the last ones in this area—Nani?"

"What is it? Did you find something?"

"Possibly," she tapped the buttons frantically, "The drones seem to be partially robotic. If I analyze this information, we'll be able to stop them much sooner than we thought."

"Will it take you long?" Tuxedo Kamen asked as he readied his cane, he heard a creeping noise heading towards them.

"No time at all, I just need to—" The three drones crashed through the wall and attacked! The Earth prince was expecting them to come through a door or window, so they were taken completely by surprise. Tuxedo Kamen parried a claw and was tossed away by the force of the blow, Mercury's first intention was to help him, but she immediately realized her best choice was to complete her own plan. She modified her communicator slightly.

"Voice register: Sailor Mercury. Drones—KYAA!" One of the bugs charged at the senshi and pinned her to the ground. When she opened her eyes, she saw the beast's mandibles ready to bite off her face.

"Sailor Moon, are you sure this will work?" Sailor Mars asked. They followed Kashaku and had made their way to the docks, Neptune and Uranus had caught up with them a moment ago.

"I'm not really sure whether it will work or not," the Moon princess answered, "but it's the best plan I can come up with." The last place they fought at was a warehouse, one filled with tropical fruits, and Sailor Moon had an idea. The blonde piled a whole bunch out in the open so the drones would be enticed, all she needed was for all the senshi to be there so they could finish them in one blow, and fix a few details in her plan.

"This trap idea is quite a good one, Princess," Uranus admitted as she tossed a papaya, "but it will only be effective if the bugs smell the bait. The city is too big, this pile is too small, and the wind is against our favor."

"Mars already told me that," Sailor Moon replied, "and for a moment I thought about forgetting all of this. But you guys showed up and I recalled a new technique Neptune told me about."

"Hai," the ocean senshi agreed, "We haven't quite perfected it yet, but it should help us fan out the smell."

"Or make one hell of a salad," the sand-blonde joked, "Well, here goes nothing." The outer senshi took their positions side by side and gathered their energy. Amber and aqua light entwined and the inner senshi felt their hair being raised by the growing breeze.

"Grand tempest!" they shouted in unison. A miniature storm, one with the strength of a thousand normal sized ones, shredded and blew the fruit up into the air until it became liquid and then a reddish cloud. The magical gusts they created sent it on its way.

"Very good," Pluto praised, "last time you tried that the garden became a horrendous mess." While Neptune and Uranus were busy, Mars had called the rest of the senshi.

"Where are Mamo-chan and Mercury?" Sailor Moon asked worriedly, "Mars, didn't they answer when you called?"

"I just called everyone over, I wasn't expecting replies," the fire senshi said, "And I don't think there's time enough to call again." The buzzing sound told them that the drones were coming, a lot sooner than expected.

"This is it guys," Jupiter announced, "We can end them in either one swoop or one big brawl. I'm feeling very tired, so let's go for the first option."

"Everyone into position," their blonde leader ordered. The six heroines formed a circle and started gathering their power, the drones sensed the energy increase and realized this was a threat to them. The food could wait, the creatures readied their claws and sped up, they would have no chance though.

"Senshi planet attack!" A luminous orb was fired towards the drones, the insects shrieked for a second as their entire bodies were disintegrated by the awesome attack, not one escaped.

"And were done!" Mars exclaimed after taking a deep breath, "I'm telling you, I don't want to see another bug the rest of my life." She looked up. "Sailor Moon, where are you going?"

"To find Tuxedo Kamen and Mercury. It's not over for me until I find them."

"We're all right!" the Earth prince's voice called. Sailor Moon ran to her husband and nearly knocked him off his feet.

"We have to stop scaring each other like this."

"I definitely agree."

"Gomen nasai," the water senshi apologized, "But we had to approach on foot, there was no way we could teleport over without scaring you."

"Scaring us how?" Uranus wondered, Mercury winked as spoke into her communicator.

"Approach." Three drones flew out from behind a wall and landed next to her. "Stand by."

"Easy!" Tuxedo Kamen said as he stood between the bugs and the senshi, who were about to attack, "they're completely under control."

"Nani, how?"

"I discovered a transmitter implanted into the drones' brains," Mercury began explaining, "With a little more investigation I found out they're preprogrammed with certain commands, all I needed was to register my voice into their memories. I still have to figure out all the keywords, but for the most part, these three are completely under control."

"I'm more than impressed," Sailor Moon admitted as she approached warily, "Are you sure we're going to be safe with these things around?"

"I wouldn't be here if I wasn't," the azure-haired girl replied, "But just as long as we keep them away from Poe, surely he'll have a failsafe command that will recover them."

"Is that so?" Pluto wondered as she stepped up to the insects.

"Careful!" Tuxedo Kamen warned, "Their behavior is still unpredictable."

"I trust Mercury's ability," the time senshi answered. She stood right in front of one of the drones, even went as far as touching its forehead, it simply chirped. Pluto was paying special attention on the whirlpool tattoo, she recalled seeing that same symbol on the warlock's medallion while he held Sailor Moon and the others captive. "Minna-san, now I know how we're going to stop Poe," she announced with her Monalisa grin.

Dark Feather tower, the following day:

Setsuna was right in assuming that Poe would call her. Once again she was sitting in the waiting room looking out the window, the only difference was that now she was a lot more disturbed and for different reasons.

"Poe-sama will see you now," the secretary announced.

"Domo arigato." The mocha-skinned woman entered the dark office nervously, maybe she should have paid heed to Rei and brought someone along. She saw Allen Poe at his desk and gulped a little, this time, keeping her straight face was going to be hard.

"Ah, Miss Meioh, I'm so glad we're able to meet again," the dark-haired man greeted, "and so sorry it's under such unfortunate circumstances." He got up and headed for a side-door. "Walk with me." They went outside to the patio on top of the tower. Poe didn't seem to have any intention of starting conversation, therefore, Setsuna was the one to do so.

"Umm, was anyone affected by the explosions? The descriptions I heard in the news were quite graphic."

"They exaggerated as usual," the warlock replied, "but I will suffer a few setbacks; I'll have to be blunt and let you know the two reasons I called you for. The financial aid I granted the observatory, I'm afraid it will be reduced by a slight margin."

"That'll be quite all right, as I said before, the money you offered us surpassed our wildest expectations." The emerald-haired woman crossed her arms, "But you mentioned a second reason, which is…"

"The disaster also retarded a very important and personal project of mine, I have almost everything I need except for one small thing. After much thought, I realized that that you are to only one who can provide me with my requirement." He paused. "Pluto."

"I'll be glad to help, but first you must tell me-" Her ruby eyes widened. "Nani? What did you call me?" Poe chuckled evilly, he raised his hand and bonds of dark energy constricted Setsuna. "KYAA!"

"It's only fair that I explain. In a moment of fury, young Hotaru stupidly revealed her identity, it didn't take long to figure out who the rest of you are."

"Don't you dare speak ill of my daughter!" the mocha-skinned woman exclaimed angrily, "And what do you want from me?"

"Your power, the spell I need requires a lot of energy. I had some stored in the compound, but now it's inaccessible, so I'm going to take yours."

"In other words, I lose my life so you can have more." She struggled against her bonds. "Seems that I have no escape, if I didn't had a trump up my sleeve."

"The rest of the senshi? Even if they manage to get here on time, they can't stand against me."

"I didn't mean my friends," Setsuna replied with her grin, "Drones attack!"

"What?" The three drones Ami had reprogrammed flew out from behind the wall and made a beeline towards Poe. "Decease!" he shouted, and the insects' life functions ceased utterly. The black-haired man needed a few seconds to recover, he'd forgotten to go through his rejuvenation routine. "You surprised me, I'll admit it, I wasn't expecting you to gain control over these creatures."

"But you acted the way **we** expected you to."

"What?" Eternal Sailor Moon, her wings extended, landed next to Setsuna. She used the ginzuishou to release her friend, who immediately performed the henshin. "Mercury recorded what you did, you stopping the drones."

"Blackmail," Poe guessed, "unless I do as you say, that image goes to every network in the world."

"It's not the most honorable method but you left us with little choice," the blonde said, "I'll cut to the chase, I can grant you and Kara a normal life, one where you can live in bliss." The warlock raised an eyebrow. "But there are conditions: Give up all of this, your plots, projects, weapons and blood-money, everything!" The warlock grumbled and turned away.

"Give up what I've been reaping for a lifetime you mean, abandon the empire I worked so hard for."

"The Princess is offering you more than you deserve!" the time senshi spat, "Your empire is built over a foundation of corpses, be thankful you're receiving such mercy!" Poe just stood silently, tense minutes passed until he finally spoke.

"The final seconds, that's when everything turns out, one can plan for years but the end is always unpredictable. (sigh) So be it." He reached into his pocket, pulled out a small item and pushed a button. Fire erupted from various spots on the floor, one flame was much too close to the senshi. Wings grew out of Pluto's back and they both took off just as the floor caved in. Sailor Moon made a U-turn and headed for her foe.

"Poe, give me your hand!" she screamed. The warlock was on his knees, his hair all white, he looked up at the girl and stared with an evil as great as his true age.

"All this death is your doing," he managed to say before disappearing amongst the fire.

"Ara," was all Mercury could say as her friends approached. The Moon princess stopped in midair and witnessed the towering inferno with horror, she could even hear the agonic screams of the people inside.

"BAKA!!" She screamed with a mixture of rage and sadness, "IT DIDN'T HAVE TO END THIS WAY, NO ONE HAD TO DIE!!" She watched helplessly as tears flowed out her blue eyes. "Why?"

Sunset, the coast:

A Pyrrhic victory, that's what it was. The outers watched the sea from their favorite spot, but it did nothing to help them.

"Why?" Setsuna repeated, "That's a question that will never have an answer."

"This wasn't a victory at all," Haruka commented, "We won nothing and lost too much. Even Navarro had his vengeance ripped away from him."

"He obtained our friendship," Michiru said, "at a greater level from Hime-chan, we must keep those small facts into account." The aqua-haired woman took a deep breath as she opened the car door, "Let's go home now, I'm dead tired of all this."

"Could we stop at the bakery first? I feel like some key-lime pie."

"Sure, Hime-chan," the violinist answered, "Hime-chan!?"

"Konbanwa," Hotaru greeted, looking as innocent as ever. Within a second, she was smothered with greetings, questions, hugs and kisses.

"Hime-chan we were worried sick about you!" the sand-blonde exclaimed, "Where were you? How did you get here? Where are the others?"

"Over here," Carlos said into her ear.

"Yikes!" The racer jumped and spun around. She saw the Mexican boy sitting on her car chuckling. "Believe it or not," she said while clutching her chest, "I'm even glad to see you. Now where's Mina-chan, I'm only one surprise short of a heart-attack."

"_Señorita _Aino is getting the others," the undead teen said. He somersaulted over the outers and landed facing them. "And we better get going too, 'cause I'm sure everyone has a story to tell."

Outers' Manor:

The return of Minako, Hotaru and Carlos was the spark of joy that everyone needed. They had a party right there and then, with gifts included. During their last day, Carmen treated her new friends with a trip to the market, it was the least she could do. Now, the loose-haired blonde was sorting these gifts among her friends; trinkets, figurines and sugar skulls. By the way, Paul's pigeon was left in the spiky-haired girl's care.

Each team related their respective adventures and assimilated the information. Carlos displayed nothing upon hearing about his enemy's demise.

"Carlos, won't you say something?" Hotaru asked. She was sitting on the armchair the dark-haired boy was leaning on.

"_Aut Caesar, aut nihil_," he quoted, "Frankly, I'm not surprised at what he did. I spoke with him, I could tell right away that he wouldn't settle for less than everything."

"That's the way it is with tyrants," Luna commented, "But one question remains. What are you going to do now, Carlos-kun?" All eyes were fixed upon the undead teen, now that the initial source of his anger was gone, there was no apparent reason for him to stay.

"I'm not going anywhere," he said as he put a hand on his girlfriend's shoulder, the amethyst-eyed girl took it with hers and looked at him lovingly. "I still have a lot to learn and a lot more to correct."

"_It seems that you learned a thing or two during your travels, Warrior,_" Kashaku assumed in a proud tone, "_But I'll have you know that you are still too close to the beginning_." The crow stretched his wings. "_But that issue can be left for another day. All of us must be tired from these events._"

"Very much, and tonight at least, we can rest easily," Usagi replied as she rose, she bowed before the outers, "Domo arigato, and good night to you."

Everyone went outside and boarded their respective rides. Rei looked up and giggled, Hotaru had healed Deimos' foot and the blue-eyed crow had done nothing but fly around the house.

"Deimos-chan," the maiden called, "you better not be too tired because were going home now." She turned to her guest. "I assume you'll vanish now and I'll meet you at the shrine."

"Actually, I'm going back to the nest. There's no reason for me to hide, and I've imposed myself upon you too long."

"Nani?" Hotaru had walked up to them to say goodbye to Carlos and had heard everything. The raven-haired girl looked at her younger friend, realized three's a crowd and left. "Carlos, after all we've been through, I can't understand why you still want to be alone."

"I need to, both of us. Too much has happened in too little time and I need to be with myself in order to assimilate it all."

"Hai, you're right. But if you start to feel too lonely, please—" He silenced her by caressing her sweet face.

"I'll call you when I need you." The pale girl smiled and reached behind his neck. They said goodbye to each other, not with words, with a kiss. Afterwards, Carlos left, he didn't use the Silent shadow, he just walked. Hotaru kept looking until he was out of sight, then she went inside.

"Goodnight, minna-san," she told her parents as she passed them by, the trio just stood there with blank stares.

"She can have anybody in the world," Haruka said as she bumped her head on the doorframe, "Why him?"

"I'm happy for Hime-chan, I really am," Michiru swore, "Still, the mother side in me can't help feeling miserable."

"You feel bad?" Setsuna asked sarcastically, "I just felt my age. (sigh) Let's just be glad she found someone to love, deal?"

"Deal," the other two replied. They all went to bed, they were happy, they really were, as much as parents can be. Besides, Usagi was right, tonight they could rest.

Among the deepest darkness, as small light appeared. It was a small multi-colored pearl, hovering over a pale and bony hand.

"It is far from over, Karasu no shi, far from over."


	21. Death and Rebirth 21

****

Death and Rebirth

Chapter twenty-one:

Hokkaido:

A month had passed since the fall of 'Dark Feather' tower. For the first two weeks, Karasu no shi searched the compound ruins for any vestige of Poe, but aside a few scrolls, documents and talismans, there was absolutely no trace of the warlock. So Carlos decided to put all of his attention towards Hotaru. Their love for each other increased day by day, and all their friends were glad for them. Haruka, she didn't quite accept this but had learnt to tolerate it, the important thing was that her Hime-chan was happy. As for the sand-blonde's own relationship with her daughter, she had apologized for being so angry and blaming her unfairly, Hotaru apologized herself for being so cold, but she still wouldn't call her Haruka-papa.

Anyway, the whole group (except the cats and avian twins, who prefer warmer climates) was taking a weekend trip up in the mountains, and they were having a great time with all sorts of activities: skiing, skating, snowball fights and monster hunting.

"Come on, _pinche_ Frosty! Is that the best you can do?" Karasu taunted while in the middle of a giant leap. An ape-like creature made entirely of snow was desperately trying to hit the warrior with ice spears, but it was much too slow, and the dark-eyed teen as having a ball evading them. "Missed me! Close! No cigar! Ho-hum!" He finally came to a halt on top of a mound. "Look, I'll give you a fair chance and sit still a while." Enraged, the beast gathered the snow around it and grew up to twenty feet tall; towering above his opponent, it threw dozens of spears at him. The impacts raised a lot of snow, hiding everything, once it settled, Karasu was standing on the ice. "You couldn't even hit your grandma's big fat ass." He'd finally managed to make the monster charge at him, and just as it was about to crush him.

"Silence Glaive surprise!"

The explosion disintegrated the beast, leaving only a floating blue sphere; Karasu drew out Seventh Sin and leapt forward, slashing it in half. He landed on the snow and Kashaku on his shoulder.

"_Admirable teamwork, Warrior, you and Lady Saturn took care of those demons in much less time that I expected._"

"Hey, don't count yourself out. We wouldn't have found these monkeys if it wasn't for your help."

"And we would've wrapped this up in even less time if Karasu hadn't been clowning around so much," Saturn called from atop the encrusted ice, "You really are enjoying yourself, ne?"

"Well kinda, it's not like the fights I used to have with Chris and Blaze," he answered as he sheathed his katana, "These things were a lot smarter." Giggling, the silent senshi hopped down to meet him.

"_Lady Saturn don't!_" the bird's warning came out to late, yelping, she sunk into the snow. The boy rushed over and pulled out his gasping love.

"Didn't it occur to you that the snow wouldn't be as firm after the blast?"

"Just shut up and help me." He did so, and helped get the snow off as well.

"_I'll go to where the others are expecting us then, don't you two take too much time._"

"We won't," the dark-haired boy replied as his guardian took off. He kept wiping off snow, not quite paying attention of where his hand was, he noticed suddenly when he brushed her hip. She looked at him in surprise and he stepped back in embarrassment. "Umm, _perdón_!" Saturn merely gave a forgiving gaze from behind a blushing visage, she finished sprucing up by herself. "Are you sure that you don't feel cold in that thing?"

"Ie, our magic shield protects us from extreme temperatures, so I'm okay." She then sneezed and shivered a bit. "Okay, maybe my little dive left me with a chill." The undead teen chuckled and came up from behind, covering her with an embrace. "Karasu!" Saturn exclaimed as her face flushed.

"There's no one here to bother us, and it's been a while since I've enjoyed the pleasure of just holding you." The amethyst-eyed senshi smiled sweetly and turned so she could hug him back.

"I think I just figured out why your body gives warmth despite your condition, it's your heart which grants it."

"Maybe, but don't forget that you are the reason for that." They smiled at each other and shared a small kiss. The young couple stood there for a while, enjoying the silence and closeness. "We better head back to the others, they don't know about our little hunting trip and might get the wrong idea."

"Hai, they must be at that place by now." They gave each other one last little squeeze and headed back to their friends.

The senshi and friends were staying at a chalet lent to them by Rei's dad. She'd been trying to get in touch with him for a while now and finally arranged it so they could meet here, a phone call was changing that plan though.

"But isn't there another way, or a chance that…?(sigh) Very well, sayonara." The raven-haired girl hung up with a pout, Ami was in the same room and chose that moment to finally approach.

"I assume he'll be too busy to come after all."

"He's too busy to give the bad news himself, I was talking to his secretary." She took a deep breath and dropped on the couch. "I guess I'll see him at my birthday, like always. Oh, why do I even bother?" The azure-haired girl sat down and held her hand.

"Because you want to love your father. I'm sure he appreciates your trying to mend the fences, give it time, everything will work out in the end."

"Easier said than done, but you're right, Ami-chan, I'm not giving up." Reiko ran into the room at just that moment.

"Hurry down to the gym, you two, you can't miss this!"

The chalet's previous owner had been a gymnast, and she left a few things behind. Among those: a climbing rope, some weights, a treadmill and a balance beam. Setsuna, Reiko, Rei and Ami were watching their newest friend perform an impeccable routine. It had taken a bit of work and a lot of luck, but Carlos' sister, Carmen, was also with them.

Through e-mails, Minako had learned the aftermath of their adventure in Mexico. Carmen confessed her drug use and her uncle had acted severe but fairly. The school wasn't as lenient though, and had her expelled. Chief Espinoza wasn't going to pull any strings, so the spiky-haired girl was going to have plenty of free time until her reputation was clear, or surpassed by a bigger idiot. When Minako had found out all this, she asked Setsuna to arrange it so that the Mexican girl could come for a visit, knowing that having his sister nearby would do Carlos a world of good. The chief was reluctant, but finally accepted, he'd met Hotaru and knew his niece would be well taken care of.

As mentioned before, Carmen was now leaping, flipping, spinning and dancing on a very narrow surface, giving her audience an awesome spectacle. After a few minutes, she made a triple back flip and landed perfectly, obtaining a well-deserved ovation.

"I can't believe you're able to pull it off with just one leg!" Reiko commented in a praising tone.

"I'm only missing half my leg," the dark-haired girl replied in Japanese, she was a very quick learner, "I know of a guy who can play football with none at all. So why can't I be a gymnast?"

"You're right, there's no reason not to be," Ami said, "But you know, Carmen-chan, that new prosthesis we got you can be used for such activities as well."

"It gets in the way actually," the emerald-eyed girl commented as she put it on, "But it is a lot more comfortable than the one I had previously, I don't start limping every half an hour or so." She ran her hand over the crease. "And you can hardly tell it's there."

"And that's going to be a very good where we're going," Rei said, "Come on, the others must be waiting for us."

"I'll go up and change then," the emerald-eyed girl said as she left the room, "I'll be ready in no time."

One of the last things most people would think about doing during wintertime is visiting the coast. But someone thought it would be a very fun idea and built an indoor beach. Everyone thought she was crazy, but Reiko insisted that place just had to be visited. Carlos and Hotaru met Carmen and the others at the entrance.

"Hey there, Bro, Sis!" the emerald-eyed girl greeted, "Where have you two been at?"

"Oh, just doing some monkey-business in the snow," her brother answered. The pale girl shook her head and everyone else looked at them puzzled.

"You'll explain later," the azure-haired girl said, "Now, let's go in, I'm dying for a swim." As they walked down the corridor, Hotaru came up to her friend.

"Reiko-san, tell the truth. Why did you insist so much on us coming here?"

"Duh, what better excuse so that you can show Carlos-kun some skin?"

"(sigh) You're impossible."

Usagi, Mamoru, Makoto, Shigeru, Minako, Haruka and Michiru were already at the place. The inners played volleyball with the guys, Michiru was swimming and Haruka was lying on a fold-out chair, reading an automobile magazine. The racer decided to give the tomboy image a rest and dress in scarce clothing: a tank-top and shorts. She looked up and saw her ocean princess approaching.

"Enjoy your swim?"

"Ie," the aqua-haired woman said with a bored tone, "I should have known it wouldn't compare to the real thing." She sat down besides her love. "Do you ever worry about Hime-chan's relationship with Carlos-kun?"

"Hai, I still say she could've done better."

"Seriously now, I'm afraid of how Hotaru-chan might take it when he leaves her."

"Leaves her?" The racer sat up. "I don't have a high opinion of Navarro, but I don't think he'd do such a thing."

"He can't do anything about it. Kashaku told me that a crow can only stay until his mission is accomplished, afterwards, nothing can stop a warrior's return to the netherworld."

"And Hime-chan will be left heartbroken when it happens," Haruka realized. She rested her head on her linked hands and thought for a while. "Well, I'll tell you this, that gaijin is stubborn, never listens, gives a damn about the rules and always does whatever he wants."

"Haruka, can't you mention at least one positive thing about him?"

"I am, don't you see? He won't care what a god or spirit will say, he stands for what he believes in and never yields. He's not going to leave Hime-chan's side, not without putting up one hell of a fight. And I'm not afraid to say it: I admire that about him." The sand-blonde laid back and stretched. "But don't you dare tell him this."

"Tell what to whom?" Carmen asked as she and the rest showed up.

"Just a little talk we're having," Michiru quickly answered, "Ohayo, minna-san."

"_Hola_, _Señorita_ Kaioh. Well now! I see Don Tenoh's trying out a new look."

"Mock me all you want, Navarro, I knew what I was getting myself into with you here."

"Hey, I'm not going to say anything. Just tell me one thing: Doesn't it hurt to be holding them down so tightly?"

"Nani?"

"Oh, you mean you're not using anything?" Haruka remained silent for a minute with a sour expression. Everyone else, except Michiru and the Mexican siblings, used that time to get away quickly.

"Get the hell off my face." Carlos complied and walked away laughing. Carmen knelt next to the sand-blonde.

"In my opinion, you deserved that. I mean, _caramba_, acting like a guy with things that size? What a waste."

"Carmen-chan, if you keep that attitude up, I won't be very fond of you either. Go play with Usagi-tachi." The ocean and wind princesses were left alone.

"You know, Haruka, Carlos-kun must hold you in high esteem as well. Otherwise he wouldn't be teasing you so much."

"Like with Usagi and Rei-chan's quarreling? Yeah right."

"Fine, you don't have to believe me. But I have to agree with Carmen-chan." The violinist glanced at Haruka's body. "It is a waste to hide those." The sand-blonde tried not to, but burst out laughing in the end. She held and kissed her girlfriend.

Everyone had a terrific time that day doing all sorts of things. Carlos had tried to convince Kashaku into sneaking inside, but the bird said that he preferred wide spaces when it came to flying. Besides, Reiko was there, and they didn't want her to get suspicious. Carmen felt sorry for the crow being out there in the cold. At first, she felt creeped out by him, especially after hearing his voice in her head. But the emerald-eyed girl quickly grew fond of him. Through the glass and steel ceiling, the first stars could be seen. The dark-haired boy looked upon Hotaru from the shore. The violet-haired girl was playing among the artificial waves with Makoto, Usagi and Minako. He wanted to join them, but couldn't get the nerve to go into the water. After spending a year submerged in it, who could blame him?

"A penny for your thoughts." He looked up and saw his sister sitting down beside him. "They should give the guy who designed this a medal, it all looks so real."

"I know, the sand could've used a little work though, it's no good for building castles."

"_Ah sí_, that's your favorite beach activity. Remember when we built a really large one? It covered nearly half the beach." She waited for a response but got none. Carmen followed her brother's line and sight and noticed how he was looking at his girlfriend. Hotaru wore a two-piece, night-sky blue bathing suit. A modest one, but Carlos thought that she looked gorgeous. "Hey bro!"

"_Qué!?_"

"Wow, you really are stuck on her. By the looks of things, I'm guessing it was love at first sight."

"Actually, she had to slap me in the face so I could realize what I had." He took a deep breath. "But you're stalling, I can hear it in your voice. What do you want to tell me?"

"Oh, it's not that important." The spiky-haired girl leaned back and glanced at the scar on Carlos' back. "Did I mention I was gone for a few minutes and the paramedics had to bring me back? Looks like the Navarro siblings have a new thing in common."

"I spoke with Kashaku about that once, it's not the same."

"I know it isn't." She took a very deep breath to increase her courage. "It's not morbid curiosity, Carlos, I just have to know. What is it like?"

"Well, it's actually a positive experience. The minute your life is about to end you realize, the suffering is over and nothing more will hurt you. You realize you're leaving an awful world behind and heading for a better one."

"If it's better, why come back at all?"

"Because it's not right. People hurting each other like that, someone has to out a stop to them."

"_Sí_." They sat there silently for a while. "_Mamá y Papá_, did you get a chance to see them, to say goodbye one last time?"

"No." Carmen rested her head upon his shoulder and started weeping.

"I miss them, Carlos."

"Me too, Carmela, me too."

"_Warrior!_"

"_Qué?_" Trough crow-vision, the undead teen saw three people in gray overcoats and fedoras breaking into to the service entrance. "Those guys are up to no good," he murmured as he got up, "I have to do something. Tell the others that I'll return shortly." He hurried out before Carmen could reply.

Down in the basement, the weird trio came to a stop by the wave machine, there they took out several demolition tools. They were about to start their dirty work when Sailor Mars, Uranus and Karasu no shi showed up. The maiden had sensed something wrong and accompanied her friend.

"Okay, one false move and you're all dead meat," the warrior menaced. The three men turned, allowing the light to reveal their gaunt faces covered with rotting flesh. "All right, move and you're something else."

"Chikuso! What are these things?" the fire senshi exclaimed in disgust.

"Corpses," Uranus answered matter-of-factly. She charged with her Star sword and cleaved them in half. "Ami-chan should be able to figure out the details later."

"But why were they doing this?" the undead warrior wondered, "According to Kashaku, creating these guys takes a lot of effort, too much to be wasted on sabotage." Suddenly, they heard awful shrieking coming from above. "_Chingada_, we fell for the decoys!!"

Zombies appeared out of nowhere, causing a panic. Thanks to the fact that they were away from the crowd, Sailor Moon, Venus, Jupiter and Saturn were able to henshin and get into action, the rest were forced outside by the exodus.

"What or who the hell sent these things?" Sailor Moon asked as she blasted one with her Power tier.

"I don't know and I don't care," the thunder senshi answered, "I just know they ruined a perfect holiday for Andre-chan and I. Supreme thunder!" They kept blasting and slicing up zombies until Karasu and the rest showed up, he ran up to Saturn right away.

"Are you okay? Where's Carmela?"

"She's fine," the silent senshi answered, "I put her and the people who fainted inside a Silence wall." She looked around, no more zombies were standing but a lot of people were also down. "You go outside and help the others, I'll stay and heal these people."

"Right," Uranus replied, "take care."

Just as they were about to reach the exit, the senshi were nearly trampled by everyone trying to get in again, there were more monsters outside than in! The zombies were creating panic all over the city.

"Unbelievable," Mercury managed to say just above a whisper, "How did these things get here without us noticing it?"

"Don't you watch the movies?" Venus asked jokingly, "These guys always show up in crowds and unseen." She smashed several zombies with her chain.

"What's important is to find a place for all the people to hide," Pluto said, "but there doesn't seem to be a place not overrun by these creatures."

"What about a church? It's cliché but it might work."

"Carmela? What are you doing here?" The dark-haired girl was standing in the snow with nothing but a coat over her suit, she was too scared to mind the cold though.

"Never mind that! I saw a large one over there, it's the only chance we have against those things!"

"Okay, let me check first." He looked in the direction his sister was signaling and saw several zombies in the way, but luckily, no humans. "Stand clear. Ebon shears!" The path was clear now, gross looking, but clear.

"I'll take the people there," Mars offered, "My belief may be different but it's faith what counts."

"I'm going with you," Shigeru seconded, "Karasu, you have an extra gun I could borrow?"

"_Sí_," he handed it to the mousy-haired man, "Are you sure that you know how to—" Shigeru spun and fired, a few yards away, three zombies were about to pounce upon two girls but were each hit right in the head. "Whoa! Where did you learn to shoot like that?"

"I practice every now and then, marksmanship runs in the family business." The Mexican kids and fire senshi stared at him awkwardly. "The police force!"

"Uh, yeah! My thoughts exactly." They split up and each group took care of business.

Fortunately, the zombies were quite weak and stupid, the only strength they possessed was large numbers and they were rapidly diminishing. Karasu used his guns and katana to dispatch a group that was terrifying a bunch of teenagers.

"Okay, head for the church that's nearby, you'll be safe there." None of them responded. "What's wrong?" He got closer and noticed that he couldn't feel their presences. Alarmed, he checked for vital signs, they were breathing and their pulse was firm, but they were empty, only the body was there. "Kashaku!" he called, "Get over here, you have to take a look at this!" The bird dove and analyzed the situation.

"_This is impossible! Only a very powerful necromancer could make an undead soldier who can do this_."

"Do what? What happened to these people?" Karasu demanded.

"_I'll explain in due time_," Kashaku said as he opened his wings, "_Get these people out of the cold and finish off the threat_. Caw!"

At the church, all the people had been gathered in the center of the hall. Shigeru and Reiko were out searching for more survivors while Mars placed seals all over the walls. The fire senshi glimpsed behind her, Carmen was walking up to her with a cigarette in her mouth.

"I thought you quit smoking."

"I'm quitting, as in, not done yet." She took one more drag. "You know? I've become curious about Reiko. You've known her for a year and she still hasn't figured out who you guys are."

"We have a lot of friends besides her, who ignore our heroic identities as well." The raven-haired senshi scratched her chin. "But now that you mention it, that girl puzzles me somewhat. I can't put my finger on it, but I sense that there's more to her than meets the eye."

"_Sí_, Usagi was telling me about it the other day, but she doesn't feel threatening at all, quite the contrary." They suddenly heard shrieking from outside. "That's Reiko!"

"You stay here, I'll go!" The fire senshi ran outside and saw Reiko and a now unarmed Shigeru bringing in two separate groups, there were also two children making their own way towards safety ground. They were the ones who had shrieked, because each of them had a zombie upon them. Mars was facing a very serious problem, the groups were too separate and there was too little time, she could only make one choice and she did so. "Fire soul!" The zombie that was about to get the children was incinerated, two screams kept her from feeling victorious though. The longhaired senshi turned and saw with horror how a zombie held Shigeru's face, the man dropped after a second.

"ANDRE-CHAN!!" Enraged, Sailor Jupiter appeared suddenly, charged and beheaded the creature with an electrically charged kick, then she knelt next to her fiancé. "Ie, not you too Andre-chan, please."

"A lot of people are in the same condition," Mars noted, "Gomen nasai, Jupiter."

"If you had let the children end up like this, I would've kicked off your head!" The brunette realized something. "Chikuso! We forgot about Reiko-chan!" The two senshi sprinted towards the third group but found no zombie there.

"It just blew up," a man said, "It was almost on top of me and, poof!"

"I see," the thunder senshi said, "Everyone carry the unconscious ones into the church and stay there until we say so."

A few minutes later, the heroes were all reunited outside the building. The structure was quite large and had a basement, so a lot of people were able to fit in.

"The zombies are gone Kashaku," Karasu spoke, "I believe now you can tell us what they did to those people."

"_I'll have to state the fact coldly_," the crow began, "_Their soul pearls have been taken away from them_."

"Nani? You mean that bead you were carrying when we met at the Time gate?" Pluto asked.

"Now that you mention it," Tuxedo Kamen commented, "I did notice something small flying out of each person the zombies touched."

"_The same, and doing such a thing requires a lot of power_."

"But if their souls are gone," Jupiter's voice was flooded with fear, "what will happen to them?"

"_Well, as long as they receive the proper attention, their bodies shall remain alive. But eventually yes, they will all perish unless flesh and spirit are rejoined_." Jupiter couldn't help but shudder at the thought.

"Okay, first thing's first," Mercury announced as she pulled out her computer, "We get these people into the hospital and put them into intensive care."

"Then we find out where their souls are," Uranus seconded, "Say Kabuki, aren't you supposed to feel where they are?"

"I did realize that fact when Kashaku mentioned it," the undead warrior replied sourly, "I deduce that whoever sent the zombies is hiding the pearls and is going to reveal them when he wants us to find him."

"How do you figure out that?" Tuxedo Kamen asked. Karasu answered by merely signaling upwards. "Nani!?" The senshi all looked up and were shocked to see a multicolored path in the night sky, all the stolen souls were floating towards the mountains.

"Whoever this guy is," Sailor Moon said, "he's starting to scare me."

"And we have no choice but to meet that creep," Jupiter noted, "Well I'm not leaving Andre-chan, at least one of us should stay with these people anyway—Nani?" There was greater surprise when the stream took the shape of a kanji, 'all'.

"We should take the sensible choice and pay heed to that," Neptune gulped, "I don't want to think what will happen if we don't."

Sailor Saturn checked her Silence Glaive, Uranus the Star Sword and Karasu did the same with Seventh Sin; Sailor Moon and Neptune readied the Power tier and Aqua Mirror. It was more than obvious that they were going to face one of their toughest battles yet.

The trek was difficult but uneventful, it took an hour but Karasu and the senshi reached a tall and steep cliff. Looking up, they saw the stream heading towards the summit.

"_Chingada_! It's too high to leap and it'll take us hours if we climb."

"Not necessarily," Mercury said as she stepped forward, "Shabon spray." Instead of spreading, the bubbles came together and formed a cloud, and it was already floating upwards. "Hurry before it gets too high!"

"Umm, no offense, Mercury, but are you sure this thing will hold us?" Karasu asked when they had all climbed up.

"Not to worry," Pluto answered, "We've done this before, Mercury's bubbles can support a ton. And Saturn, please try to learn something besides swearing in Spanish."

Eventually, they came up to an ominous looking cavern.

"Kashaku-san, you think you'll be able to stand being in there?" the silent senshi wondered.

"_I really have no choice, Lady Saturn, I have the feeling that the necromancer requests my presence as well_."

"Yeah, whatever," Karasu complained as he strode inside, "let's just chop that guys head off, heal those people and get this crap over with."

"Just try not to get carried away," the Earth prince reminded him sternly as they entered the cave, "Notice the icicles, we were brought to this place so we won't be able to use our powers, doing so will cause a cave-in." A crystal-like sound confirmed his theory.

"Only if we get into a fight," Venus noted, "Look at this, we're already deep into the cave and nothing has happened." As if on cue, a whole platoon of the rotting undead appeared around them. "Oh good, for a minute there I thought we wouldn't manage our cliché of the day."

The number of zombies wasn't that great, but the conditions made this fight a lot more difficult. Only Karasu, Tuxedo Kamen and the outer senshi, except Neptune, were able to fight properly; the rest were forced to rely on their feet, using punches meant the risk of getting too close and lose their own soul pearls. The very thought of becoming a sort of living corpse is certainly terrifying.

"Karasu, are you okay over there?" Saturn yelled from the top of her lungs.

"I'm fine, sweetie, watch your back!" The pale senshi froze after stabbing a zombie in the chest.

"Did he just call me sweetie?" Then she saw something that brought her back to ugly reality, "Pluto, behind you!"

"Nani?" the ruby-eyed senshi spun and saw a hooded opponent charging towards her, she swung her staff but he vaulted over her head, Karasu was the target. The dark-eyed teen had his katana kicked away from his hand and traded a few punches before they were clenching hands trying to overpower each other.

"Let me guess, you're the guy who's been sending the pus-faces," Karasu growled, he obtained no response. He noticed that he couldn't sense his opponent's presence either, that mean he was also an undead. But he had a much stronger build, and certainly didn't carry the stench of rotting flesh. "I say we've got our man! How are you guys doing?"

"Almost done!" Uranus shouted, "Only four to go and they can hardly stay on the feet." The wind senshi's boastful grin vanished when one of the zombies took a beeping device out of its ragged clothing. "Eto, Mercury, any idea what that is?" The azure-haired senshi looked through her visor and blanched.

"Saturn, would you please raise the Silence wall while the rest of us gather? NOW!" Karasu tossed his adversary away and joined the huddle in the nick of time.

The bomb was small but the explosion was enormous. There wasn't a cave in at all, the summit literally became a giant crater! Sailor Pluto opened her eyes and was astonished at the sight before her.

"Kashaku-san, are you okay?" she was holding the bird tightly against her chest.

"_I'm grateful to be able to see the sky again_." He looked up and saw that hooded individual standing on a boulder some distance from them, seemingly untouched.

"I've had enough," the Moon princess growled. She stepped up boldly. "You terrified a peaceful haven and stole the essence from innocents. Unmask yourself before the Sailor senshi deliver their punishment!" Still silent, the man pulled of the black hood.

"CAW!! _I don't believe it!_" Kashaku exclaimed. But it was true, Venus and Saturn also recognized him. There were a few changes but it was him, Paul. His skin was sheet white now and there were black marks on his face. A wide horizontal streak at eye level and crosses over his lips.

"He's become a crow!" Mars shouted, "But how, who did this?"

"We know already," Karasu grumbled. He stepped away from the group, stopped a few feet away and roared. "We know it's you! Show yourself already so I can pull your damned entrails out!"

"Darn, I was hoping to keep the mystery going just a little longer," a calm and sarcastic voice replied. Approaching footsteps were heard, a tall, dark, longhaired figure came into view. Karasu looked at him and their dead eyes locked.

"Poe, I should have known you wouldn't give immortality up so easily."

"It was the quest of a lifetime. You may leave now, Paul," He gestured and the ebon-skinned martyr was teleported away.

"_You madman! Do you have any idea what consequences this travesty of yours will bring?_" the guardian shouted as his feathers ruffled.

"The only consequence that matters to me, is increasing my power. But tell me, how are all of you doing? Did my staff treat you well?"

"Your staff?" Sailor Moon asked appalled, "You mean the ones who worked in your tower?"

"Indeed, the very ones whose demise was caused by your interference." The Moon princess clenched her teeth at that comment. "Pluto, that zombie you blasted back there, she was my secretary, who had been so courteous. Such ingratitude does not become you!"

"Quit toying with us, Poe!" the time senshi spat, "Just what are you planning?"

"Why did you do that to Paul-san?" Venus asked furiously, "He had already repented from his crimes. He didn't deserve to be turned into that!"

"I needed a subject to experiment on first," the warlock responded, "I'm not stupid enough to try a new spell on myself without a test."

"I knew it," Karasu growled, "So show us the results already! Prove to me that you are stupid enough to think that you can cheat death!"

"Glad to." He extended his arm and a large black bird dove out of nowhere and perched on it, his skin became white and black marks appeared on his face, a line over his lips and a whirlpool over his left eye. "Allen Poe is gone, now meet, Raven." Instead of astonishment, the senshi just gave him bored stares.

"You changed your name from Allen Poe to Raven?" Mars asked in an incredulous tone.

"I know, I know, it's unoriginal. But one can't excel in everything, can he?"

"Is there a purpose to all this?" Uranus asked, visibly annoyed, "Because I'm actually starting to feel empathy towards the kabuki."

"I was about to let you know of my plan," the undead villain said as his guardian moved to his shoulder, "The drones and zombies, I'll let them loose on the world, causing terror everywhere, destroying everything on sight. Next step is to wait a few years, by then humanity should be reduced to a mere shadow of itself." He paused a moment to revel in their looks of dread. "Once I consider enough time has passed, when every man, woman and child feels forsaken, I'll step in and 'eradicate' the plague. The people will be so grateful and amazed by my power, that I will not only be considered as their savior," his voice got darker, "but as their god."

"I'd say the transformation warped your mind," Karasu replied as he gripped Seventh Sin tightly, "if I didn't know you were already insane. Do you really think we'll let you do such a thing!?"

"Of course I don't, I know I have to get you out of the way." He threw three dark orbs, they exploded at the warrior's feet, "I can destroy you right here and now, but perhaps we may negotiate."

"Join you!?" Neptune shouted, "You're completely out of your mind!!"

"I'm not offering a position, I'm offering the gift of a real life. You could live again Carlos Navarro, I have the power to do so. You could live a long healthy life alongside your beloved Hotaru. And the same goes to all of you; I take your powers and memories, and let you live the rest of your natural lives in peace. I can wait a few decades to put my plan in action." Wordlessly, the future king of Crystal Tokyo stepped in front of the group.

"Do you really have to hear our answer?" Raven stared straight at him.

"I guess not."

"Very well then!" Fast as lighting, Tuxedo Kamen threw a rose.

"SQUACK!" Raven spun and saw his guardian on the ground, dead, with the flower thrust in its chest. He then started to lurch and clench his chest with a look of extreme pain.

"Good aim, _Don Máscaras_," Karasu complimented as he sprinted away.

"Ditto, _Don Cuervo_." The undead teen charged and gave Raven an earth-chattering right hook, followed by jabs, kicks and slicing his chest open with his katana.

"Carlos!" Saturn called worriedly. She stepped forward but was held back, she turned and saw Jupiter shaking her head. This was too personal a fight.

Karasu no shi kept delivering punishment with all the strength he had, he fought with so much intensity he was actually tiring himself out. So he finally grabbed the necromancer by the neck and slammed him into the ground. The villain tried to get up but the undead warrior thrust his knee into his chest, causing him to cough up blood.

"I'll see you in a minute, Raven," Karasu said as he took hold of Seventh Sin with both hands, "Because I'm personally delivering you to Satan!!" He was about to stab his nemesis right between the eyes when the blade was caught with a bare hand. "_Qué!?_" The boy looked into those eyes and for the first time in a very long while, Karasu felt fear.

"Did you really think it was going to be that easy?"


	22. Death and Rebirth 22

****

Death and Rebirth

Chapter twenty-two:

Karasu no shi tried to pull Seventh Sin away, but Raven held it with an iron grip. Finally, the warlock yanked the weapon from his hands and tossed it away. Then, he lifted the boy by the neck and punched him in the face a few times before throwing him away. Saturn and Kashaku rushed to his side once he hit the ground.

"Karasu, are you all right?" The silent senshi glared at Raven with glowing eyes.

"_How can you do this?_" the crow demanded, "_A warrior cannot possibly survive without his guardian_."

"For Pete's sake, give me some credit," Raven mocked, "Didn't it occur to you that after so many years of study, I would know about a crow's weakness **and** figure out how to neutralize it? You know, for a millennia old being, you are quite an ignorant bird." Kashaku narrowed his eyes at that comment.

"Poe…" Still in pain, Karasu got on his feet and stepped away from the pale girl. "Or Raven if you please, you think that fact scares me? All you did was become a little harder to kill." The undead warrior took a firm stance and raised his arms. "Ebon shears!" A virtual hurricane of dark blades flew out of his fingers, impacting his foe. The shears that flew by his side, which were plenty, turned the ice and stone into sand! When the attack ceased, Karasu was beaming with confidence, but it quickly became shock at what he saw. Raven stood there unharmed, not even a tear in his clothes.

"If I were you I'd call that 'little black twigs'." With a cruel smile, the villain aimed his finger towards his immobilized adversary and fired a black beam. It hit Karasu's chest, throwing him back several feet. And if that's not enough, Kashaku, who had remained perched on his ward's shoulder, was also dragged along. It had all happened so fast that Saturn could not react. Jupiter managed to catch them, but the force was so great that she received a damaging blow.

"Mars flame sniper!" The arrow was caught and turned into embers, but she expected that already.

"How did you get so much power?" Saturn shouted, her rage increasing, "How can a bastard like you-" Her eyes went wide in realization. "Ara, you couldn't have."

"Clever girl, Karasu obtains power by absorbing emotions, whereas I, carry the source within." The Moon princess' eyes went wide in fear. "That's right, the souls that were stolen, are all here," he said while tapping his chest. Filled with uncertainty, the senshi of death and rebirth twisted her hands around her glaive, then she felt the rest of the outers gather around her.

"Power does not mean invulnerability," Pluto said calmly, "You can't resist every attack." She held the Garnet Orb forward; grinning, Saturn readied the Silence Glaive. Neptune and Uranus gathered their own power.

"Grand tempest!"

"True cannon!"

Raven saw the senshi's energies heading towards him. "True, I can't stand against that." Never losing his cool, the undead warlock moved his hands in a wide arch.

"Nani? YEEARGH!!" Raven had manipulated the attacks and caused them to strike the outer senshi instead.

"Why resist when I can control?" the villain boasted, "Huh?" He saw Sailor Moon step forward with the Power Tier at the ready. Now he felt nervous, the power of the ginzuishou was a factor he completely ignored, the chances of him being destroyed by the Moon princess were more than high.

"Silver moon crystal power-KYAA!" A laser beam bore through her arm!

"Usako!" Tuxedo Kamen caught his wife and looked up to find the source of that shot. He saw Kara, fully equipped in a brand new armor.

"Sorry, babies, the bad guys brought their own team."

"You good for nothing bitch!" Mars was about to use her fire soul but stopped herself. The mocha-skinned villainess sneered, she knew that no one would dare strike her. "That coward," the fire senshi growled, "How can she hide behind her unborn child?" Mercury, who was standing beside her, agreed sourly, but then she saw more immediate danger.

"Attention Mars!"

"Nani? Kuso!" Both senshi put up their defense just in time, they managed to stand firm against the tackle, their attacker, Chris.

"Don't tire yourself ladies, cause I'm planning to have some fun later on."

Sailor Venus had seen the cyborg approach, she would have warned her friends, but she now had her hands full with Paul. Apparently, Raven had all of his servants standing by.

"Come on, Paul-san! Did you forget what you learned?" The black martyr could not respond, he was completely under the tyrant's control. He forced the blonde to back away slowly, fake crow or not, his strength and skills had now been increased.

Amidst the heat of battle, Tuxedo Kamen and Jupiter were trying to keep Sailor Moon, the outers and Karasu as safe as they could, the thunder senshi held Kashaku tightly among her arms, he was the most vulnerable one. The princess' arm was completely useless, but the rest were already recovering.

"Kashaku-kun, you better get out of here," the tall brunette suggested, "Whatever that creep did, I doubt Karasu can do it."

"_Right, I'll head back to Miss Carmen_," the crow opened his wings, "_Good luck to you all_. Caw!"

Kashaku flew up and away as fast as he could, hoping not to draw Kara's attention. But he didn't get that far. "SQUAWK!" he met beak to face with Hawkins. The mad doctor was fluttering right in front of the bird. Most of his features were still human, but the eyes, scrawny extra arms and wings made him look hideous.

"Do try not to resist, an untouched specimen is so much easier to study." The bird had been surprised, but he was by no means stunned. Narrowing his eyes, he shot himself forward, drilling his beak into the beast-man's eye! And while his would-be tormentor shrieked in pain, Kashaku escaped with all the speed he could muster. "You little beast!" Hawkins was about to give chase but was stopped by a violet wave. Looking down, he saw Sailor Saturn with her eyes glowing furiously.

"Get down here you traitorous bastard! Or else I'm bringing you down!" Hawkins pondered for a moment.

Trying to run would mean giving the silent senshi an easy target, the best choice would be to engage her in a fight. It was going to be difficult, but Saturn was in a weakened condition, and the mad doctor was much better in battle than one might expect. He made a dive attack at top speed.

"Silence wall!" The mutant-drone impacted and fell, but got up to his feet again. Saturn charged, swinging her glaive, but it was caught by four hands. So began another battle.

Back to Karasu, Tuxedo Kamen and Jupiter, they were getting ready to take on Raven, who was waiting for them.

"I'll be all right, Mamo-chan," Sailor Moon assured, "free the ones that demon is holding captive."

"Right, I love you Usako." He kissed her before standing up. "Are you two ready?" he asked his companions.

"I don't like ganging up on someone," Jupiter confessed, "but this monster deserves it. Karasu, are you up for it?"

"I don't wanna scare you," the undead teen replied with a tired voice, "but I used up all I had on the Ebon shears." He took a deep breath. "But I still have something to dish out. LET'S GO!"

The dark clad ones charged first, taking hold of Raven's arms, Jupiter came up and punched the fiend right in his midsection with all the strength she had.

"Give me back my Andre-chan!" she growled.

"I'm afraid you must be more specific, you see, to me, one soul is just like any other." The thunder senshi's fury arose, Raven used that to throw his opponents away with a kinetic blast. "Take notice that so far, I've been acting defensively. Imagine if I took an offensive approach."

"I've got a better idea. Why don't you try to imagine what will happen when I get really pissed off?" Karasu retorted as he threw a kick. Actually, he knew that getting even angrier was going to be difficult.

Venus tried to hold up against Paul as long as she could, but tired out eventually. He was about to finish her when he received a flying kick from Neptune.

"Better take this opportunity," the aqua-haired senshi said as she summoned her mirror. She was going to raise it but Venus held her arm down.

"Matte! You can't destroy him, he's being controlled!" Furious, Neptune shoved her friend away.

"Do you think he wants to stay that way?" The ocean senshi got ready again. "Gomen nasai, Paul-san. Submarine-" Her talisman was shot out of her hand. "Nani!?" Both senshi looked up and saw Kara.

"If you think I'm going to let you off my friend, you're a bigger bimbo than I thought." Neptune noticed a peculiar tone of sentiment in her voice, one that actually indicated irate concern. The senshi had no time to think about this, because Paul was up and fighting again.

"Venus, you think we'll be able to stop this guy?"

"I think Mars may be able to handle him." The blonde glimpsed over her shoulder. "But I'm afraid she's too busy right now."

Mercury and Mars were having no luck fighting Chris. The cyborg had turned his fingers into titanium whips, blunt ones, he wasn't going to kill any of the girls, at least not until he'd had some fun with them. The parts of their bodies he was aiming for, plus the comments he made, were getting Mars quite upset. The water senshi was doing a better job keeping her cool. Truth be told, she was on the verge of anger herself.

"Is that the best you can do, you hentai excuse for a mecha?" the raven-haired senshi asked furiously.

"Oh, I could do a lot more. Of course, if you act like good little girls and do as I say, the experience might not be so unpleasant-Huh!?"

"Hyah!" Uranus had sneaked up and tackled Chris from behind. She had him pinned with all of her might. "Your sniper Mars, use it n-KYAA!" Electricity ran throughout her body. As fast as he could, the black-haired cyborg wrapped the senshi with the whips from one hand.

"If my data is correct," Chris commented, "you are the tomboy of the senshi." He got up and dangled the semiconscious sand-blonde in front of himself. "I've always wondered. Is it a statement or," the metal around her breasts an hips tightened, "are you just waiting for the right man?"

"Let go of Uranus!" Mercury yelled with tears of rage, "Let go of her or I swear I'll-"

"You want her?" Chris mocked, "Here you go!" Using Uranus as a weapon, he swung her at the other two senshi. Mercury was able to duck in time, but Mars received the full blow. The cyborg bonded her as well and picked them up, he chuckled at the sight of two lovely, scantly-clad females so close together. "I should thank the nerd for installing those memory disks."

"Mercury aqua rhapsody!" Chris saw the watery attack and hastily devised a shield with the whips of his free hand. Mercury smiled victoriously when her visor indicated her foe had taken damage, but it was wiped off her lips when she heard her friends scream in pain. "Nani? What are you doing to them?"

"Another one of the bug-nerd's updates, part of the damage I take is transferred to these two." He brought his captives forward. "Wanna see what happens if you destroy me?" Mercury gritted her teeth as her mind raced for an idea.

"Ungh." Mars moaned weakly and looked up. "Uranus?" All the response she obtained was a slow nod. "Blast the creep Mercury! We'll survive, we're strong enough!"

"Hmph!" Chris saw the doubt in the water senshi's eyes turn into determination. _These broads have too much faith in each other. New approach then._

"YEARGH!!"

"You attack and I tear them in half," he threatened. Mercury could see from the position of her friends' bodies that their spines were about to snap. "Good girl," the murderer mocked as he cracked his whips, "Now, where were we?"

Raven, he was now up against four opponents. Sailor Moon was wounded and in pain, but she was **not** going to stay in the sidelines, not when her love and her friends are in danger. The difficulty lied in the fact that the Power tier was too heavy for one hand. And even if she could use it, she dared not to, she feared that Karasu would be as vulnerable to the ginzuishou as Raven.

"I believe each of you has hit me three times so far," the undead warlock started, "It is actually a lot less than I expected, I became much stronger than planned."

"Don't brag," Tuxedo Kamen retorted, "You stole that strength, it doesn't belong to you." He drew out three roses. "You have no true power if it's not you own!" The Earth prince threw the flowers with all of his might, but they withered the moment they neared Raven.

"Are you actually trying to appeal to my sense of ethics? Don't forget I was the C.E.O. of a global corporation." He was barely able to catch Karasu's fist and fling him away, as he did so, he saw something out of the corner of his eye. "Damn."

In his insect form, Hawkins was a lot stronger than anyone would expect, standing up against Saturn proved it. Since the mad doctor was hovering two feet over the ground, the Silence Glaive surprise would be easily evaded, and the Saturn shockwave took too long to prepare. Her best bet was to use her weapon directly, but she couldn't manage a direct hit and had received a lot of scratches herself.

"Kuso, you're doing something!" the pale girl spat, "Even if you are a drone, you couldn't possibly be so strong without trickery."

"Clever girl," Hawkins half-praised, "I studied Venus long enough to know what sort of energy you senshi use. I am currently using a device that partly neutralizes such energy. It has limited range, but I shall correct that later." Saturn narrowed her eyes and thought, if her power was diminished only partly, then maybe her planet attack would be powerful enough to destroy the mutant drone. But she ignored exactly how much her power had been reduced. What if she used too much and lost control?

"Stop hurting Saturn!" Pluto roared as she slammed her staff onto Hawkins' back, crushing his wings. Hurt, and mostly annoyed, the mutant drone redirected his attention.

"Ie, Setsuna-mama, get away!" When the outer senshi were hit by their own attacks, Pluto had tried to shield Saturn as best as she could, obtaining the most damage. And that thing Hawkins was using worsened her condition. "Touch one hair of her head and you die, Hawkins!" The mad doctor paid no heed.

"Miss Meioh, quite a talented woman I believe." If he had eyelids, they would've narrowed at this moment. "Mr. Poe said not to kill anyone, but in my opinion, it will be better to lower your ranks now." He charged at the time senshi, his human hands aiming for her face. Pluto used her staff to parry, and fell into the trap. This maneuver left her defenseless against his lower arms, which as you should know, were clawed.

"KYAA!" The red-eyed senshi felt two gashes being opened on her torso. She fell back, her wounds weren't deep but the pain was intense. She looked up and saw a bulge on Hawkins' throat. He was about to spit acid at her!

"Silence wall!"

Hawkins spat and sealed his fate. Saturn had placed her barrier around his head. So when he spat…well, the results were gruesome. The beheaded Hawkins fell, greenish blood pouring out of his neck. The silent senshi came down to her knees and took a deep breath.

"Momma, Poppa, this is your victory."

"Damn," Raven muttered. Losing one of his subordinates was unexpected, and Hawkins intellect was an important asset, even though finding a replacement wouldn't take that long. "This battle has been prolonged far enough." Tuxedo Kamen and Sailor Moon attacked simultaneously, the former using his cane. Raven swiftly pulled the item away and drove it into the Moon princess' chest! She was too shocked to cry out the pain.

"USAKO!" her husband charged blindly and was met with a fierce kick to his midsection. He collapsed with most of his ribs chattered.

"Fiend!" Now it was Jupiter's turn. The brunette threw a straight punch, her arm was easily taken and bent the wrong way, not only that, it was also violently dislocated. "YEARGH!" She was thrown away like the rubbish the warlock considered her to be.

Last came Karasu, roaring like a horde of demons. All Raven did was grab him by neck and snap it, the undead warrior's body went limp. His nemesis whispered in to his ear.

"This has only been round one." Raven dropped the boy. "Chris, Kara, we're leaving," he ordered as he took off. Shrugging, the cyborg dropped Mars and Uranus next to the badly bruised Mercury. A jetpack came out of his back and he mimicked his leader. Kara came down to pick up Paul, who had defeated Neptune and Venus without uttering a single word.

Saturn, who had received the least damage of them all, watched the four gain altitude and teleport away. She took a deep breath to calm herself, during the fight she had felt a fury like never before. She got up and glanced towards Karasu, her love was moving slowly, which was all the pale girl needed to see, so she limped over to Sailor Moon. The odango-headed blonde was lying there, skewered by the black cane. Luckily, Raven had struck the right side of her body, far away from her heart. Despite her predicament, the Moon princess grinned at Saturn.

"Perhaps if you had fought Raven, the results would've been more favorable, ne?"

"Shh, don't speak, your highness," the silent senshi warned. She began to concentrate all of her remaining power within her body, when she was done, her body was surrounded by a violet glow. Quickly, Saturn took hold of the cane and pulled it out. "Rebirth aura!" On this occasion, she concentrated in order to keep the healing energy from spreading, thus allowing her fellow senshi to heal completely. Once she was done, her fuku became ribbons and then vanished as she fainted. Karasu rushed and caught her, wrapping her with his coat, Hotaru was still wearing her swimsuit, so she really needed it this time.

The rest of the senshi came closer, making sure that everyone was okay.

"Sailor Moon." Tuxedo Kamen approached his princess concernedly. "Are you sure you're all right?"

"I'm fine thanks to Hotaru-chan," the blonde replied with her hand over the pale girl's forehead. Sailor Moon glimpsed at Karasu's dark eyes and shivered. "We must hurry back to the chalet, Hotaru-chan won't last long in this weather, and we're all too tired to teleport."

"_Sí_," the undead teen replied sourly. He walked up to Uranus and put his beloved in the wind senshi's arms. "You're a lot faster than me," he explained, "go ahead, I'll be right behind you." Uranus didn't now how to react at first, she wasn't expecting such trust from him. Her only response was to give a firm nod and run at top speed. One by one, the remaining senshi left, while Karasu stood still. The undead warrior thought about the events that had unfolded a few moments ago. Allen Poe, now Raven, had accomplished his dream for immortality. Not only that, he had obtained an immense power. _What scares me is the fact that he used only a small fraction of his power. And I know that he's not satisfied yet. _He picked up and sheathed Seventh Sin. "How many families did you have to destroy, Raven? How many?"

The chalet:

Carmen gradually awoke, she and Reiko could do nothing for Shigeru and the rest of the ailing, so they decided to come here. As the dark-haired girl sat up on the couch, she noticed a blanket covering her, and she hadn't gotten one. Looking up, she saw Reiko asleep on the armchair, and correctly assumed that the redhead had been keeping watch over her this whole time. Smiling warmly, Carmen put the blanket over her friend and gave her a grateful kiss on the cheek. Those zombies running amuck had shattered a lot of expectations and awoke a lot more fears, but having so many people to take care of her eased her heart much.

"_Qué!?_" She heard a sudden tapping on the window. She took the poker from the fireplace and approached cautiously.

"_Miss Carmen, it is I, Kashaku_."

"Oh, thank Mary." For once, Carmen was glad to hear that creepy voice in her mind. She opened the window and the bird flew up to her shoulder. "Try to keep it down, Reiko's here."

"Someone call?"

"Urk!" Carmen spun nervously and saw Reiko stretching tiredly.

"That's Carlos-kun's pet crow, ne? Are Usagi-tachi back yet?"

"Umm, no, not yet. I guess they're still in town helping people."

"Che, I can't believe they let them help and not us. Sometimes it sucks to be younger." The redhead yawned loudly. "I'm going to bed, and you should do the same. Staying up late and worrying will make you sick, and your brother won't like that."

"I'll be up in a few minutes, Reiko. Good night." Winking, the Japanese girl left the living room. _I really can't help but wonder about that girl_.

"_Not to interrupt your musings, Miss Carmen_," Kashaku said, "_But was there any more trouble after we left for the mountains?_"

"No, I kept waiting for that cop with the beret to show up. But it seems that there was no need to." She sat down on the couch again and started petting the crow. They both remained silent for a long time, until Kashaku decided to begin conversation.

"_This doll, it is the one the warrior treasured, correct?_"

"_Sí_," Carmen answered as she picked it up, she had been holding it tightly in her sleep. The spiky-haired girl had been quite surprised and amused upon learning that her brother had kept something so dear to her. She immediately set upon the task of repairing it, and now, except for the uneven color, it was good as new. "I don't know whether to keep it or not. Carlos said it was and still is mine, but it helped support him while he felt alone. On the other hand," she rubbed her severed leg, "two broken dolls should be together."

"_Miss Carmen_." The guardian looked up and saw tears coming out of her emerald-eyes. The girl gasped when she felt his beak rub against her cheek, the closest thing to a kiss a bird can manage. "_Messengers and guardians are supposed not to posses empathy._" He shrugged. "_But I wouldn't have it any other way._" The bird waited a second before continuing. "_That toy, before you arrived it was nothing but cloth and ash, but your skill and caring restored it fully. In the same way you were healed by your uncle and aunt back in your country, a process completed by your brother's visit. You are not a broken doll._"

"Kashaku…" Carmen wiped away her tears. "You should be an owl instead," she giggled, "every word you say is plain wisdom." Kashaku didn't know how to take that compliment. The spiky-haired girl got up again, placing Kashaku on the back of the sofa, and went over to look out the window.

"_Umm, Miss Carmen, I don't know why I didn't notice before, but you haven't asked about your brother, the princess, prince nor the ladies_."

"Why bother asking? It's obvious that Carlos sent you here to keep an eye on me. I'm sure he and my sis-in-law are beating the crap out of whoever sent the zombies, right?" She looked back with a confidant grin. The guardian lowered his head. "Right?" she repeated worriedly. No answer. "Kashaku, what happened to my brother!?" They both heard the door open and ran over to see who it was. The emerald-eyed girl was shocked to see Uranus carrying an unconscious, blue-lipped Hotaru. "_Chingada!_ Put her down on the couch, and get that wet coat off her!" As the pale girl was tended to, Pluto was rubbing her fingers, the rest of the senshi arrived.

"Are you all right, Carmen-chan?" Sailor Neptune asked with a caring tone.

"I'm fine, which is more than I can say for you. What the _chingada_ happened out there?"

"Don't ask." Carmen turned and saw Karasu run his hand over his face and become Carlos. "You don't want to know."

"I **am** asking, _pendejo,_ and I **do** want to know."

"Carmen, there's no need for such language," Mercury reprimanded as she became Ami, "If you must know, our enemies are still alive, the ones who…" She couldn't go on. Carmen would have collapsed if Makoto hadn't been there for support.

"Not to scare you, Carmen-chan, but they are also stronger," Usagi added. She rubbed her chin. "The first thing we have to do is-"

"_The first thing you should do, your highness_," Kashaku interrupted, "_is change into warmer clothing. It is bad enough with Lady Saturn in such condition_."

"Nani?" The odango-headed blonde looked down and noticed that she was still wearing her blue and white striped bikini. "Eto, I gotta keep track of what I'm wearing before the henshin. We'll be back in a flash."

"Carmen-chan, please tend to Hime-chan," Setsuna requested before following her friends. The Navarro siblings were left alone with Hotaru.

"You should put something on as well, Carlos," Carmen commented as she massaged her friend's feet.

"I'm fine," her brother replied in a dark voice that made her shiver. The dark-haired girl decided not to insist. "I want you to go back to Guanajuato," the undead teen said after a while, "it's going to be very dangerous around here and I don't want you to get hurt."

"It's not safe anywhere, Carlos," Carmen got a questioning gaze, "I called back home the moment I got here, they got uncle José and auntie Sarah." She immediately regretted saying that, maybe she should have kept that bit of news a complete secret.

"It was a bad idea anyway. I think Carmen-chan will be safer if we keep her close."

"Hotaru!" Carlos virtually bounded over the couch and kissed his beloved, warming her lips, "You had me so worried."

"All I did was tire myself, Carlos, nothing to worry about," the pale girl replied as she touched his face.

"Okay, okay, you're warming up a bit too much here," Carmen interjected, "Come on, Hotaru, let's get some clothes on you."

"Pack your bags while you're at it," Rei said as she came into the room, "We're going back to Tokyo, I have a very bad feeling about this."

Tokyo, Juban:

Rei's feeling turned out to be more than bad. Zombies had attacked their city as well, and the number of victims whose soul pearl had been stolen was in hundreds. The worst of it all, this meant that Raven was much stronger.

The first thing they did was leave Reiko at her home. They ordered her to stay hidden and ask no questions. The redhead demanded to know but the senshi were steadfast in their decision.

Once they made sure their friends was safe, they all headed for Hikawa temple. As they climbed the front stairs, Usagi neared Makoto.

"Mako-chan, are you sure you're okay? Coming with us while Shigeru-kun is still at Hokkaido."

"I hated having to leave him," the tall brunette admitted, "But I know I can help him a lot more by fighting at your side than by kneeling at his bedside." It was a brave statement, but she couldn't keep a tear away.

"Thank the kami you're here!"

They all looked up and saw Luna running towards them, they were quite surprised to see her in human form, especially Carmen.

"That's the cute, black kitty I met earlier!?"

"Hurry inside, there's no time to explain."

"Grandfather!" Rei rushed over, the old man and a few visitors were lying on futons with the rest of the animals at their side, also in their human guise. "Phobos-chan, is he okay?"

"I believe so, Princess Mars," the red-clad twin answered, "He opened his eyes an hour ago, looked at Deimos-chan and I, and muttered 'I'm in paradise' before fainting again."

"Hai," the maiden sighed as she slapped her face, "he's definitely okay."

"But who did this to him?" Ami asked, "The zombies?"

"Ie," Artemis answered, "Hino-sama was attending some customers when this man dressed like Karasu showed up, we immediately sensed the evil in him. Hino-sama tried to throw him out and ended up like this." The white-haired man rubbed his sore shoulder. "We all tried to fight him, but were no match."

"And after beating you, he went after the customers," Carlos guessed, "But I don't get it, their souls are still within them, only their energy has been drained."

"_We are on holy ground_," Kashaku observed, "_that must have stopped our enemy. But at the rate his power grows, this will not remain an obstacle for long_."

"Umm, I don't think I understood that," Deimos said, "But that man left something." The blue-clad girl went to a table and came back with an envelope. "I think he meant you to have it, Warrior."

"Let's see." The undead boy read the letter and his aura became so irate it was terrifying. "I don't believe it!" he yelled.

"What does it say?" Mamoru asked. He was barely able to catch the crumbled paper thrown at his face.

"Raven wants us to meet him at this amusement park somewhere! And if we don't show up, he'll release an army of drones and zombies somewhere in the world! 'Preferably' with a lot of people." Carlos sat down and punched the floor. Haruka approached Mamoru and read the letter over his shoulder.

"We must meet him tomorrow at midnight, that's time enough to rest and think of a way to stop him for good."

"If you come up with a plan, Haruka, do us a favor and keep it to yourself. We don't need any backfire right now," Hotaru said in a harsh voice. Everyone, except Carlos, stared at her in surprise.

"Eto, we're not really doing what that baka wants us to, ne?" Mako said, "I mean, we can't allow him to manipulate us like that, otherwise we'll never win."

"Just as you can't allow him to commit more massacres," Carmen pointed out as she moistened the cloth on one of the customers, "I'd say you guys are stuck between the sword and the wall."

"That's a rock and a hard place," Minako corrected with an overly triumphant tone.

"Actually, Mina-chan," Setsuna said, "Carmen-chan didn't exactly misquote, that is how the proverb goes in Spanish." The blonde turned her head slowly, giving the mocha-skinned woman a furious stare.

"Three seconds, Setsuna-san, you couldn't even let me enjoy my victory for three seconds." The emerald-haired woman giggled apologetically. "Che, anyway, while Michiru-san and I fought Paul-san, I figured out that Rei-chan would be able to stop him with her seals. Kara-san, I can use my chain to hold her down, unharmed. And Chris, a few full-powered blasts should take care of him." She bit her thumbnail. "That oni Raven is a whole other story."

"We'll probably come up with something in due time," Michiru assured half-heartedly, "In the meantime, we should do as Haruka said and gather our strength."

"Hai," Rei agreed, "and you should all stay here as well, so far it's the safest place in all of Tokyo."

"Very well!" Makoto got up and clapped her hands, "I'll go the kitchen and make my best meal ever. That Raven oni won't know what hit him." The brunette's enthusiasm helped everyone ease their spirits, she went to work while everyone else went over to ready their rooms. As for Carlos and Ami, he went outside while she knelt next to Luna.

"Luna-chan, if you like I could take over while you guys take a break."

"Ie, Ami-chan," the black-haired woman answered, "since we were no help in a fight, the least we should do is take care of Rei-chan's grandfather. Besides, Artemis-kun and I have enough power to maintain this shape a little longer."

"And they got me as well," Carmen added, "I don't have magic or supernatural powers, but I'm not useless." The azure-haired girl gave a bright smile.

"I'll tell Mako-chan to cook something extra-special for all of you." She went to join the others. The animals and Mexican girl kept up their own work while the latter retold the story she'd heard. Artemis burst out laughing suddenly.

"What's so funny, Artemis-kun?" his mate asked in a reprimanding tone.

"Nothing, Luna-chan, it's just that I recalled the time Zoicite disguised himself as Sailor Moon. She was so mad at him for violating a registered trademark." Everyone else laughed upon hearing this.

"I guess Bro must also be upset at the idea of a counterfeit crow running amuck," the emerald-eyed girl chuckled, "By the way, umm, Phobos, do they have any sort of copyright laws in the netherworld?"

"I'm Deimos. Hai, I believe there's a rule of the sort back in Coronis. But where do you think we'd have to go in order to find a proper lawyer?"

"Point taken."

Carlos stood by the koi pond thinking, Kashaku kept watch from a branch high above. Both pondered similar thoughts, Raven had no weakness and was infinitely stronger. They had to figure out a way to make the warrior level such strength, it was the only way to defeat that monster. Actually, Kashaku knew of a way, but Karasu needed to find out himself in order to get the correct result. The crow turned and saw Hotaru approach, in consideration for the young lovers, he flew to the other side of the temple.

"Carlos-"

"I want to be alone," the dark-haired boy said in the most gentle voice he could manage, unable to hide his anger, "please, Hotaru."

"I understand, I just…well, I needed to see how you are."

"I'm fine. Now go get some sleep, you're still weak from the cold."

"Hai, but-"

"Hotaru." The pale girl sighed and turned away. She had only taken a few steps when Carlos took hold of her hand. "I haven't forgotten my promise to you, Hotaru," he said with a kind grin, "And I'm certainly not giving up to that creep." That said, he let her go, and a thankful smile appeared on Hotaru's lips as she went inside.

An abandoned amusement park:

Raven and the remaining members of the whirlpool gang were preparing for the coming of the senshi. Paul was standing there staring into emptiness. Ever since Poe had changed him, the ebon martyr had said nothing, and the only thing he would do was follow orders blindly. Kara, unarmored, walked up and waved her hand in front of his face.

"Paul? Come on man, say something, you can't possibly be gone." She was insisting when Raven walked up and put his hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry I couldn't get to him sooner," the warlock began lying, "A few minutes earlier and we would have more than only a moving body."

"I know, Allen," the mocha-skinned woman sighed, "just make sure you give that bastard mime what he deserves."

"I assure you, I will." He turned Kara around and kissed her. "Now go sleep, you're still mortal you know."

"Right." She kissed him again before leaving.

Chris was leaning against a lamppost when he saw Kara walk by. He stood up and caught up with her.

"You know, I just gotta ask," the cyborg said as he put his arm around her, "How come you keep being so nice to Paul when he's brain-dead, while I still get treated like scum?"

"Grabbing my breast like that should give you a clue. Now let go before I use my ring."

"Fine, fine, have it your way. Besides," he grimaced, "I draw the line when it comes to pregnant broads. And lord knows who fathered that bastard." Kara spun with her hands on her waist and an appalled face.

"What sort of computer did Hawkins put in your head, Playskool™?"

"Meaning?"

"Didn't you ever noticed that since I started sleeping with Allen, I never did anything with any of the men we went to kill?" _Well, nothing further than my mouth._

"Yeah right, you go out every night to-"

"To keep up an image and you guys in line. This child is Allen's," the long-haired woman assured as she patted her belly, "And after eight months, he and I will be god and goddess." She began to walk away when she heard a chuckle from Chris. "What is it?"

"Oh, nothing, I just thought of something else I can do with the senshi."

"Creep," the mocha-skinned woman muttered as she left. Chris just stood there with his arms crossed, he knew Kara was being naïve, but would tell her nothing.

__

In my book, you deserve to suffer, you slutty bitch.

It was time, the nine senshi, Tuxedo Kamen and Karasu no shi stood in front of the large, closed gate. Kashaku and the twins hovered overhead. Deimos had convinced Phobos into coming, based on the argument that their Princess Mars was going to need help. But Deimos had lied to her sister, the blue-eyed crow knew that Raven and his lackeys were sure to take advantage of the warrior's weak point, in other words, kill Kashaku. Deimos' plan was to stay close to the guardian and use herself as a decoy.

"I guess Raven coming over to greet us would be expecting too much," Jupiter quipped, "such an awful host."

"Well, that doesn't mean we should be discourteous and keep him waiting," the love senshi said, "Venus love and beauty… Umm, Karasu, would you mind moving out of the way?" The undead teen grabbed the gate and tore the whole thing from its hinges. He entered and everyone else sweat-dropped. "Eto, that also works."

The senshi walked warily, but Karasu was in no mood for caution, the distance between him and them increased with each step.

"Matte, Karasu, it'll be dangerous if they find you alone," Pluto warned.

"Relax, Pluto, I'm keeping my eyes open." The moment the warrior finished saying this, a dark hole appeared at his feet, but he easily avoided it. "See? You gotta get up earlier if you want to get the best of me," he boasted as he stepped towards another trap.

"Karasu!" Saturn tackled him away and became the one who fell.

"Saturn!" Karasu tried to catch her but the hole closed immediately. The rest of the senshi rushed forward, Mercury activated her visor.

"It was a sort of dimensional portal. She could be anywhere in the park."

"Nice going, Kabuki," Uranus attacked, "are you still feeling cocky?" The undead warrior didn't answer, instead, he unsheathed Seventh Sin and hit the ground. The force of his blow was so great the earth cracked open.

"RAVEN!!" He bolted, too fast for anyone to follow.

"Matte, Karasu, it's too dangerous!" Tuxedo Kamen called, "Kuso, after him!"

Karasu had vanished from sight and the place was too large. It was dangerous to divide their strength, but Sailor Moon decided that they had to split up.

Sailor Mars, Jupiter and Uranus formed one group. Their search had taken them to the spinning teacups.

"Uranus, I really wish you had been more thoughtful instead of telling Karasu off like that," the thunder senshi complained gently.

"I already apologized, okay?" Uranus replied, "Besides, if the princess and Sailor Mars had been in our place, the same thing would've happened."

"I accept it," the long-haired senshi said, "though Usagi would've just whined instead of doing this, and believe it or not, I actually prefer it." She looked around, "I should work on this sixth sense of mine instead of just waiting for it to ring, then I'd be able to sense where our friends are."

"Which reminds me," Jupiter said as she snapped her fingers, "They're looking for us too, so don't concentrate on the search too much, lest we be surprised."

"Then look behind you!" the outer yelled.

"Nani!?" Jupiter spun and blocked just in time. Paul had jumped from the top of the roller coaster and tried to deliver a kick. "Mars!"

" Rin, pyou, tou, sha, kai, jin, retsu, sai, zen. Akuryou taisan!" The shrine maiden rushed forward, seal in hand. But Paul proved to be faster by grabbing her wrist and tearing the small parchment. Both inners somersaulted away and took a defensive stance next to Uranus. "Remember guys, don't use your powers."

"We know, we know," Jupiter said, "let's get that guy!"

Sailor Mercury's computer had led her, Sailor Moon and Neptune to the go-kart track.

"Gomen, Sailor Moon, but this is as far as I can take us."

"That's quite all right, Mercury," the ocean senshi answered, "It's all that baka Raven's fault." She tightened her fist, "If he dares touch my Hime-chan I'll-"

"Yo! Head's up you guys!"

The senshi looked up and saw Kara hovering high-above. "Can you guys tell me where Sailor Venus is? I still want that kiss."

"Kara-san, please," the Moon princess begged, "don't fight, we don't want to hurt you!"

"Well I don't want my child to be hurt either, duh. That's why I'm doing the smart thing and stay behind while others do my work for me. Drones, attack!" Five green drones appeared and charged towards the senshi, Mercury recognized them from that first encounter back at the hospital.

"Careful, these are stronger than any you've ever faced!" the azure-haired senshi warned as she avoided a stream of acid. "Shabon spray freezing!"

Sailor Pluto, Venus and Tuxedo Kamen had been the luckiest of the three groups, they found Karasu standing in the middle of a make-believe mountain range.

"Thank the kami we found you," the Earth prince exclaimed as he approached his young friend, "Come on, let's call the others and let them now you're safe."

"Don't bother using your communicator," Karasu warned, "He's jamming the signal."

"Jamming, by whom?" Pluto asked.

"He has no soul to sense, but I can feel him in my bones. Because there is only one person in the world I hate more than him." All four heard footsteps slowly approaching, they looked up and saw Chris appear from behind a boulder.

"Hate me, huh? I suppose it's because of your mommy and little sister. Maybe I should've let you have your turn at them, then you wouldn't be so bitter." The dark-eyed warrior's rage increased but he didn't display it, he wasn't going to give that murderous jerk the satisfaction.

"You are nothing but wire and tin now. Tell me, what's stopping us from blasting you into scrap." The cyborg stood firmly in front of the heroes and cackled.

"Upgrades." Everyone's eyes went wide open as Chris' body began to shake and bend abnormally. His hands and feet became large, yellow claws; his chest was covered by an energy-enforced breastplate and his head disappeared under layer and layer of metal. The human shaped Chris had transformed into a red with yellow streaks, fully armored, twelve-foot tall battle-droid!

"_Hijo de su Mazzinger!!_"

"You're old enough to remember that show?" Venus asked incredulously.

Ignorant to the ordeal her friends were going through, Saturn lied unconscious on the cold floor. She awoke with a splitting headache.

"Arrgh, Carlos no baka and I are going to have a serious talk when this is over." The silent senshi felt someone behind her and jumped to her feet, summoning her Silence glaive. "Raven!"

"I was expecting Karasu to be the one to fall, for one final match and get this over with. But I guess that having the most powerful senshi serves my purpose as well."

"Gomen, but I'm not too willing to serve that purpose," Saturn challenged with her weapon aimed forward, "Hurting Karasu is the same as hurting me, and I remember the pain in my princess' eyes when you skewered her," she added as she narrowed her eyes.

"Oh don't worry about your princess, she'll be safe for a little longer." Raven made strange movements with his hand. "The one you should be worried about is yourself." He threw a dark orb at the senshi, but she blocked it easily. "Good reflexes."

"Don't patronize me. Silence Glaive surprise!" The undead warlock used his dark energies to counter the blast, then, he used telekinesis to pick up the debris and launch it at Saturn, who deflected the attack easily with her Silence wall. "Not very clever, Raven," she mocked.

"We'll see." He spoke an archaic word and the violet barrier flickered away. Surprised by this, the pale senshi was barely able to block a second attack, one stone managed to hit her side. "Still confidant you shall win?" the undead warlock taunted.

"Enough to-Nani!?" she heard electricity crackling. Looking down, she saw something that made her skin go even paler. The stone had wounded her, but instead of blood, she saw wiring. "Nani?" Saturn asked in a panicked voice, "What-what are you doing to me?"

"It seems that your father's work is resurfacing, Tomoe was such a bright mind." Raven threw a fireball at his opponent, scoring a direct hit. Saturn flew several feet away with her body burning.

"Ungh." As she got up, she looked upon the polished surface and discovered that the right side of her face had been carbonized. She instinctively drew her hand towards it, but by doing so pushed away a bit of skin, her eyes widened when she saw something shiny. Saturn gasped and noticed that she didn't pull in any air. More than panicked, she dug her fingers into her chest and tore away cloth and skin to reveal cold metal instead of warm flesh! All the horror that had festered in her soul was released in one indescribable scream before collapsing.

"Poor, poor child," Raven chuckled as he came close, "and your father actually thought he was helping you." He kicked the senshi on the shoulder and turned her so that she now faced upwards. Everything had been a cruel illusion caused by his magic. The only wounds Saturn had were a bruise on her side and a few scratches when she'd torn her fuku open. "Now, to increase my power yet again," he said in a demonic voice as he placed his hand on her chest. "What?" The undead warlock's eyes widened with surprise and curiosity. He moved his hand over to her head and searched Saturn's memory. "How very interesting," he commented as he picked her up, "you're going to be a lot more useful than I thought."

"Akuryou taisan!" Mars tried to place the seal on Paul's forehead once more, but her attempt was foiled again. "I only have one left!"

"Then save it until you're absolutely sure!" Jupiter yelled as she tried to punch the ebon martyr. "If only I could hold and pin him down."

"If only these kabuki weren't so damn strong," Uranus complained. Fortunately for the senshi, Paul only possessed the physical abilities of the fabled crow, regeneration and enhanced strength. Were he able to manipulate feelings, they'd be doomed. "Come on people, we need an idea!"

"Don't look at us, we're no strategists," the fire senshi retorted. She looked up and saw Phobos circling overhead. "That's it!" She thought of her plan intensively, hoping that her avian friend would hear it telepathically. "On my mark, both of you tackle him at once."

"That's your plan?" Jupiter asked.

"Trust me." Feeling a bit unsure, Jupiter and Uranus stood side by side and charged when their friend gave the signal, Paul received them with a fierce roundhouse kick. Mars was a second behind them with her last seal at the ready, naturally, the undead man tried to grab it.

"Caw!" Phobos dove from behind and pecked furiously into Paul's neck, he felt no pain but was distracted for a second, and that was enough.

"Akuryou taisan!" The moment the seal was placed, Paul stood utterly motionless and fell after a few seconds. The three senshi took very deep breaths. "Domo arigato, Phobos-chan," Mars told the female crow on her arm.

"_It was my pleasure, Princess Mars_."

"No time to rest guys," the thunder senshi interjected, "we have to go see if the others need help."

"Right," the sand-blonde agreed, "Race you!"

"Silver moon crystal power kiss!" Sailor Moon blasted away three drones at once. Kara had been sending out the insects systematically in order to tire out the senshi, but she had run out and her enemies were still standing.

"This certainly sucks," the mocha-skinned woman complained, "Oh well, I guess Allen and I will get you next time."

"Kara-san, open your eyes!" Neptune shouted, "We want to help you!"

"From the bitches who destroyed my friend? Yeah right," Kara blew them a kiss, "Ciao, my lovelies." Luck decided to smile on the senshi for once, Kara was overconfident and flying backwards, so she ended up hitting a flagpole. "What the? Damn!" Her jets were broken, the dark-haired woman slid down and was grounded.

"Shabon spray freezing!" Mercury immobilized Kara by encasing her in ice from the waist down. "Okay, now be a good girl and behave!"

"Sorry, I never behaved when I was a girl," the mocha-skinned woman quipped as a laser came out of her gauntlet.

"Oh no you don't!" Neptune had sneaked up from the side and pulled her weapon away, Sailor Moon did the same from the other side. "You'll thank us later. Let's go guys!" The aqua-haired senshi had hardly walked a few steps when she was hit by a dark orb. "YAAH!"

"NEPTUNE!" Sailor Moon looked up and saw Raven reading another attack. The Moon princess became furious and extended her Power tier. "Silver moon crystal power kiss!"

"Mercury aqua rhapsody!"

"Submarine reflection!" Neptune was still strong enough to attack. All three magical blasts impacted Raven, or so it seemed. The alert on Mercury's visor started beeping.

"That's just an illusion, he's behind us!" The senshi trio turned around and saw their foe tossing a large energy blast at them. Mercury and Neptune moved away as fast as they could, Sailor Moon was going to do the same when she realized Kara was behind her! If she moved…

"Ie!" The blonde senshi used her power to improvise a shield. She was barely able to withstand the impact, and the shockwave knocked her two friends out cold. "Raven, can't you see that Kara-san's behind me!?"

"Of course he does, silly," the mocha-skinned woman mocked, "he knew you wouldn't move."

"Kara-san, I was barely able to stop that thing, it had enough power to kill both of us."

"What?" Kara looked up incredulously, she saw a coldness in Raven's eyes that she'd never seen before. "Allen?"

"I am immortal, Kara, and on my way to god-hood. Why should I settle for just one woman? And what do I need an heir for?" He threw more of his dark energy orbs in rapid succession, Sailor Moon stood her ground bravely, the will to protect Kara and her unborn child gave her strength but it would soon deplete. "One more, Princess, and you'll have to say sayonara. I'm so sorry we couldn't get to know each other better."

"Mars flame sniper!"

"Space sword blaster!"

Raven was hit with full force and fell to the ground, he raised his head to see the rest of the senshi, sans Venus, Pluto and Tuxedo Kamen. The false crow growled, he knew he wouldn't be able to face such number of opponents, not in the condition he was in.

"I'll be kind and grant you this one victory," Raven announced as he disappeared, "one senshi is enough for one night."

"Nani?" Jupiter asked, "What the devil did he mean by that?"

"There's still one group missing," Uranus answered as she checked on her ocean princess, "He could've meant Venus, Pluto or… By the kami, don't let it be so."

"Sailor Moon," Mars had gone directly to check on the blonde, "you still with us?"

"Hai," the princess responded through exhausted gasps, "it's Kara-san who we should be worried about."

Kara stood there motionless, her face was unreadable and her eyes empty, though tears flowed like a stream. The ice she was trapped in, it felt so warm now.

"Venus love and beauty shock!"

"Chronos typhoon!"

"Ebon shears!"

All three attacks, and a shower of red roses, were deflected by a force field. Now that Poe had become Raven, he allowed Chris to have a lot of power.

"Is that the best you can do?" the no longer human assassin mocked, "I thought you guys blasted demons away daily." He opened fire from the many barrels around his arms.

"Can't we at least damage his speakers?" the love senshi growled after diving behind a rock, "His voice is his deadliest weapon."

"I think the generators for his shield are located in his arms," the time guardian noted, "and he can't attack and defend simultaneously." She ducked just in time to avoid a laser barrage. "Then again, neither can we."

"If we could distract him for just one second." Tuxedo Kamen rubbed his temple, trying to come up with something. Then it hit him. "Karasu! Remember how you hit the ground with you katana earlier?"

"Sure I do," the dark-eyed teen said and he tightened his grip on it, "I just hope I can repeat it." Karasu waited for a breach in the firing and leapt out to face his enemy. "Hey tin man, this way!" Before Chris could respond, he hit the ground with even more fury than before! The crack ran right underneath the cyborg, causing him to lose balance and flail his arms wildly. The Earth prince took the opportunity and threw as many roses as he could. There were several small explosions, and once they ceased, the cyborg's cannons were now useless. Also, as Pluto had hoped, his shield was down for good.

"I suppose you're going to give me the final blow now, mime." Chris commented sarcastically.

"The definite blow," Karasu corrected. He assured his grip on Seventh Sin and charged, ready to cleave the beast in half. Chris just stood there, then opened his robotic hand. "_Qué!?_" The undead warrior was blasted away by a blue fireball.

"Karasu!" Pluto rushed towards her young friend and would've been scorched if Tuxedo Kamen hadn't tackled her down. "Arigato, my prince. Karasu?"

"I'm fine," he answered groggily. His eyes went wide open, "That presence," he looked up at the red and yellow cyborg, "You, you're not Chris, you're Blaze!!"

"Heh, heh," a mechanical chuckle chilled the heroes' hearts, "Yes and no. After the explosion at the compound, Blaze became a sort of ghost, searching for a body. He found mine and thought he could posses me, but my will was much stronger." A blue, fiery mane grew on his back. "So, my mind dominates completely, and I can still use all of his power."

"I'll admit you surprised me," Karasu said as he stood up, "but I'm still the one who's going to destroy you. I heal myself, you don't." Chris merely chuckled and turned his back towards him. The undead warrior was at a loss until he noticed a small gun hidden among the flames. He knew where it was aiming to. "KASHAKU GET AWAY!"

"Caw!" The warning came out in the nick of time. The guardian began to fly away and saw the beam following him, an attack that was nearly impossible to avoid.

"Caw!" Deimos flew up to the path of the laser.

"_NO!_" Kashaku tackled the female crow away and became hit.

"KASHAKU!!" Pluto bolted to where the bird had fallen. Karasu watched the scene appalled.

"Looks like you can't heal anymore, huh?" Chris taunted.

"He was my FRIEND!!" the warrior roared.

Kashaku lied wounded on the floor, Deimos was in her human form, kneeling beside him and crying inconsolably.

"Kashaku? Kashaku open you eyes!" She got no response. "Kashaku no baka! Why didn't you let me do it!? WHY!?" the blue clad girl demanded as she pounded on the floor.

"_Are you forgetting my title, Lady Deimos?_"

"Nani?" The crow opened one eye narrowly.

"_A guardian, that means I protect, both the warrior and my friends_."

"How is he!?" Pluto yelled as she ran up to the pair. She checked Kashaku's wound carefully. "Thank the kami, it's not that bad." Just like an eternity ago, she ripped a piece off her ribbon and bandaged the bird. "There, you'll survive."

"_But the warrior might not_," Kashaku replied concernedly, "_as long as I am hurt_-"

"I know," Pluto interrupted, "Deimos-chan, take care of him while I return to the fight." The time senshi left as fast as she had come. Deimos picked her friend up delicately and drew him to the warmth of her breast.

"Please try to relax, Kashaku, the senshi will keep the warrior safe."

"_You don't know the warrior like I do, Lady Deimos. He's not going to yield_."

"Venus crescent shower!" Now, with the use of Blaze's pyrokinetic power, Chris proved to be an ever tougher opponent. "Hide, Karasu, he's going to kill you!"

"You're no safer than I am!" Karasu insisted on fighting, in spite of his condition. He had never felt so tired before, and all of his powers were gone, but he was not going to give up. "Don't forget Chris, the other senshi are here, you can't beat all of them."

"I only have to beat you." The cyborg made a fist and punched the boy away. "Next."

"Next comes Tuxedo Kamen!" The Earth prince took aim and extended his cane towards the shoulder articulation. With luck, his arm would be left unutilized. "Why don't you try to fight someone in your level instead of abusing the weak?" the black-haired man challenged.

"Like you? Don't make me laugh." Chris concentrated his energy and threw a heat wave at the Earth prince and Sailor Venus, knocking them both against a stone wall. "That should take care of you for now." The cyborg then detected something sharp hitting his back, his upper body spun and he saw Karasu armed with Seventh Sin. The undead warrior was breathing heavily and was much too tired to even speak. Chris grabbed him, picked him up and slammed him against the rocky ground. "You just don't know when to give up. Let's see if you can last as long as you did last year." Karasu was picked up again and was swung violently.

"Death scream!" Pluto scored a direct hit, causing noticeable damage. Annoyed, Chris threw his victim against a wall and ran toward the emerald-haired senshi. "Death scream!" This time her attack was countered by a blue fireball, she was about to shoot again when her staff was backhanded away.

"Try to imagine what I'm going to do to your pretty little corpse," Chris growled mechanically as she picked her up with one claw.

"Let her go!!" Using what little strength he had left, Karasu got up. "Don't hurt my friends."

"Karasu, No!" Pluto pleaded.

"Okay, enough is enough," the cyborg said tiredly. He aimed his free hand and gathered his energy.

Deimos and Kashaku watched the hopeless battle from above.

"The warrior's not going to survive not in the condition both of you are in," she cried.

"_I can sense the princess and the other ladies approaching_," the guardian replied, "_all we need is a little time_."

"He doesn't have time!" Her blue eyes lit up. "Unless…"

"_Do not think what I think you are_."

"It's the only way." Deimos put Kashaku on the floor and retook her avian form. "_I know the consequences, Kashaku. But I'd rather face Princess Coronis' wrath than allow such a creature to win, or see one tear in Princess Saturn's eye!_" She took a deep breath. "_And don't forget, I outrank you. This is an order!_" The larger male bird narrowed his eyes, Deimos tried to remain brave before his steely glare.

"_Very well_."

"Goodbye, mime."

"IE!" Pluto saw the gigantic blast hit her young friend. There was an awesome explosion, and when it cleared, all that was left was a pile of rubble. "You, you MONSTER-KYAA!"

"Blaze and I saw this in a movie once," Chris commented, "a babe gets ripped in half and all of her guts spill out. I've always wanted to know what it looks like in real life." He started to pull on Pluto's body very slowly, causing her pain to last. "What?" he had heard the stone move from where Karasu had been standing. "I don't fucking believe it!" he shouted as he let the time senshi drop. He stomped over to the debris. "If that creep's still-" The rock pile erupted and something completely inhuman arose. Karasu no shi, reduced to a blackened skeleton. The red and yellow cyborg stood still then backed away, fear was supposed to have been programmed out of him, but this…

Karasu began his counterattack with the ebon shears, shredding away Chris' left arm. The cyborg tried to grab the skeleton, but his other arm was caught and torn away. Then, Karasu bore his bony, claw-like fingers into the breastplate. A blue aura surrounded Chris for a minute, the warrior literally tore away that energy, it was amorphous for a while and then it took human shape, Blaze's ghost. Karasu closed his fist violently and it was gone, for good. Then he put his full attention towards Chris.

"You little son of a bitch," the maimed robot growled, "I'm gonna grind you and spread you all over the city!!" He charged with every horsepower in his machinery. Karasu didn't move away, instead he leapt and tore through the metallic body as if it were tin foil. The gigantic machine tittered and fell, all of its circuits deactivated at once. Something small rolled on the floor, it was part mechanic and part organic, Chris' human head. His brains and a lidless eye could be plainly seen among the circuitry. Said eye rolled uncontrollably, trying to focus on something. What it found was a skeletal foot hovering above. "Nn-n-n-nnuh-nuh-noh-no, no, NO!" Karasu brought his foot down, the definite blow.

The dark skeleton stood still for just a moment, then he threw his head back and, whether it was caused by victory or pain, gave a roar so frightening, rumors say that even Satan has nightmares to this very day. He collapsed.

"Mamoru-kun," Venus said in a shaky voice, "is he?" Gulping, Tuxedo Kamen arose and stepped up warily. He saw Karasu's skeleton lying there, the only sign of life he displayed was a little twitch now and then. Hearing the others approach, he quickly took off his cape and wrapped him in it.

"What was that thing we heard?" Sailor Jupiter asked, "What happened here? Where is Karasu?"

"Venus, Pluto," Neptune looked around, she sobbed and wrapped her arms around herself, "He did mean her."

"Nani?" Pluto approached slowly and painfully, "What do you mean by 'her'?"

"My love," amidst the confusion, Sailor Moon walked up to her prince, the dark bundle in his arms inspired nothing good. "What do we do now?" Future King Endymion thought carefully, overhearing stray words and making sense out of chaos. He looked down at the boy he'd come to esteem, unbelievably light now. He tried, but could not fathom the incredible pain he was going through.

"I don't know, Usako, I don't know."


	23. Death and Rebirth 23

****

Death & Rebirth

****

Chapter twenty-three:

Hikawa shrine:

Things were pretty much back to normal at the temple, the customers had recovered and gone home a while ago. Rei's grandfather remained unconscious because of his greater age, but was in no real danger, so there was no real need to keep watch over him.

Carmen paced about the garden restlessly. She tried headstands, back-flips and somersaults, nothing could tire her out, the thought of her brother and friends fighting who-knows-what kept her wide-awake.

"ARGHH! What is taking that idiot so long?" the spiky-haired girl finally hollered.

"Why don't you try a more relaxing activity?" Luna suggested. She and her mate had reverted to their feline form. "You could go into the kitchen and make yourself a nice cup of tea."

"I never was any good at cooking."

"Not a problem," Artemis replied, "Everything in Rei-chan's cupboard is either instant or micro-" The black cat stepped on his tail before he could finish the sentence.

"I don't want to do anything!" Carmen exclaimed, "I want to know what's happening." Her emerald eyes glared at the furry pair. "How can you two remain so calm?"

"In short," Luna began explaining, "we have faith in Sailor Moon and the others. We have no idea how strong the adversary is, but we do know how strong the senshi and Karasu are. Believe me, Carmen-chan, we are just as worried as you are, but such feeling won't help any of us at all."

"_Sí_, you're probably right." Just then, a horrendous sound was heard, sort of like the roar of an infernal beast.

"In the name of Princess Mau, what was that?" the white cat asked with each hair on end.

"Carlos," Carmen whispered.

"Nani?" Instead of getting a response, Luna saw the girl sprint towards the exit. "Matte! Where do you think you're going!?"

"To where my brother is, of course! That scream was his, I just know it!"

"And what are you going to do?" the black cat challenged, "Nothing, neither of us can do anything out there." She ran over to the weeping girl. "You have to stay here, where you're safe, for Carlos-kun's sake." Carmen fell to her knees; she took a deep breath and quietly agreed.

The next couple of hours were a painful eternity. Carmen hoped for the best, but knew that she should expect the worse.

"Caw!" "Caw!"

The sight of the crow twins flying into the house filled her with both dread and hope, either way, she ran inside immediately.

"What happened out there!?" The dark-haired girl counted heads and felt her heart sink. "Where are the others? Where's Carlos?" She could only see Rei, Makoto, Setsuna and Michiru. Haruka and Ami were sneaking the skeletal teen through the backdoor; while Usagi, Mamoru and Minako were taking the brokenhearted Kara to the hospital.

Michiru walked over gently and placed her hands on the younger girl's shoulders.

"Carmen-chan, I want you to listen very carefully. Carlos-kun, your brother, has been-"

"Been what? I know it's something awful, so tell me already!"

"Calm down!" the aqua-haired woman ordered. The events at the amusement park tonight had left her in a very edgy mood, so she was in no condition to deal with this sort of behavior. "Carlos has been hurt, badly, so much that we can't allow you to see him." Carmen gulped when she got this bit of information. But instead of standing still, the Mexican girl got even more restless and broke free from the violinist's hold. "Mako-chan, stop her!" The tall brunette tried to grab her and was elbowed for that. She reeled back a bit but still managed to get Carmen.

"_Carmela_."

Both girls were in the middle of this struggle when Carlos' voice resounded in the younger one's mind.

"_Carmela, do as they say and stay outside, you don't want to see me like this_."

"Is that so? Well if you think that creeping into my head is going to scare me, you've got another thing coming." Her brother sounded frighteningly tired, that made Carmen even more determined.

"Arrgh!!" Mako took advantage of the slight distraction to spin the smaller girl and pin her against the wall. "Andre-chan was hurt too, remember? Don't you think I want to be with him?" She took a deep breath. "But I have to think things trough, I have to realize what is best for him and everyone. Carlos-kun wants to keep you away because he wants you to be safe. And consider this, having the idea that he somehow hurt you is going to do him a lot of damage. Do you want that?"

"No," the spiky-haired girl answered sadly.

"_We all want the best for you, Miss Carmen_," Kashaku said from across the room, "_Will you please calm down?_" She nodded and finally relaxed, Makoto let her down gently.

"Where are the others?"

"Mamoru-tachi are taking care of something," Setsuna responded, "But Hime-chan, she…umm…" The ruby-eyed woman had to steel herself. "Raven has taken Hime-chan hostage, and we have no idea what doom might befall her." Carmen grumbled and rubbed her temple as her anger resurfaced.

"Are you done, or is there another bit of cheerful news you want to give me?" There was, the senshi had brought someone along with them. "What the _chingada_ is he doing here!?" Not knowing what to do with him, the now undead, and unconscious, Paul was brought along.

"We're fully aware of who he is," Rei cleared out, "but we need him here, for the time being."

"Okay, okay, let sum this up," the emerald-eyed girl said in a very calm voice, "You allowed my brother to be seriously hurt, my new best friend to be kidnapped and brought home one of the guys who killed my family."

"Crudely put, hai," the aqua-haired woman replied, "but if you listen-"

"_PINCHE #/&!!_" Carmen left the room stomping and cursing up a storm.

"Colorful," Ami joked as she entered along with Haruka.

"How's Carlos-kun doing?" Makoto asked.

"Well, he umm…" The short-haired girl tried to keep her stomach steady. "He's regenerating, that much I can tell. But the process is a lot slower than usual, there's hardly any tissue around the bone."

"Arigato," Rei said, "I really needed that image in my mind."

"It doesn't really matter if the warrior's recovery is slower, Princess Mercury," Phobos said from the table, in her sprite form, "As long as Guardian Kashaku remains unharmed…… Matte." She finally noticed that the large male crow was bandaged and being carried by Setsuna, while her sister, who stood at her side, remained in avian form. "Deimos-chan, tell me you didn't do it." The blue-eyed crow shrunk back, not daring to answer. "ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?! Do you have any idea of what you've just done?"

"_I had to do SOMETHING!_" Deimos yelled back, "The warrior would've perished otherwise."

"I realize that, but we're supposed to be bounded. No interference, remember? Or have you become too much of a baka to-"

"Phobos-chan that's enough!" the raven-haired maiden scolded, "I'm sure that Deimos-chan feels bad enough already, you don't need to make it worse." She was quite surprised to see the petit Phobos glare back at her.

"Fine!" she shouted as she changed into crow form, "_Do whatever the hell you want, I've had it with looking after you anyway!_"

"_Onee-chan-_"

"CAW!" Phobos screamed smack on her sister's face before bolting like a bat out of hell, causing the ones by the door to back away.

"_I'm sorry for causing you such grief, Lady Deimos,_" Kashaku apologized after a minute.

"_Don't worry, Guardian Kashaku,_" she replied gloomily, "_I was aware of the consequences_."

"To all this, would you mind explaining what's going on," Makoto requested, "'Cause during the last couple of hours I've been in the dark."

"_Certainly, Lady Jupiter._" The guardian took a deep breath. "_You have all noticed how the warrior remains alive while I am wounded, something that shouldn't be_."

"_Guardian Kashaku and I knew that Warrior Karasu wasn't going to survive the battle without his power._"

"I can deduce the rest," Haruka interrupted, "The only way to save Kabuki was to give him a healthy guardian, and so Kashaku-san gave you his position."

"_Hai, and you can also tell from my sister's reaction that such maneuver is illegal_."

"Then, what is going to happen to you two?" Rei asked worriedly.

"We don't know actually, since no one has ever done something like this." Kashaku was set on the table, with everyone sitting around it now.

"I don't want to sound insensitive to our smaller friends' predicament," Michiru spoke, "But what are we going to do about Hime-chan? Heaven only knows what that monster will do to her."

"We know that she is still alive and in possession of her soul-pearl," Setsuna assured, "Raven's sadistic nature would have proven otherwise. Of course," she added in a grim voice, "whatever else he's planning is probably worse."

"What we need to know is Raven's whereabouts," Luna stated, "we can't allow him to go on controlling us."

"The only one who can give us that information is Paul-san," Minako's voice was heard. Everyone turned to see the two blondes and dark-haired man approach. "How's he doing?"

"He's still out cold," the tall brunette answered, "What about Kara-san?"

"She is all right physically," Mamoru answered, "Mental wounds are another thing entirely, and I'm sure that she has always been fragile in that area." Just then, an aching groan came from Paul. The martyr awoke slowly and his eyes went wide when he saw how pale his hand was.

"By all that is holy! What has happened to me?"

"Calm down Paul-san," Minako said softly as she placed her hand on his forehead, "we'll explain everything."

Paul took the news surprisingly well. Naturally, he knew that working with Poe was going to have ghastly consequences.

"He who fights monsters better take care, heh. Nietzsche should have considered those who fight alongside of monsters."

"We want to help you solve this, Paul-san," Usagi offered, "but until we know exactly what it is Raven did, we can't do anything, or else we might do more harm than good."

"I understand," Paul replied, "and there is no hurry after all. Even though they terrify me, this power of mine is necessary if we are to stop that madman once and for all."

"We?" Haruka asked suspiciously. The undead man lowered his head and humbly spoke.

"I have no right to ask this of you, but you must allow me to join you in this fight. For years Raven has manipulated me, making me believe that I gave balm while in truth it was brimstone. I implore you, let me fight at your side." He raised his head and saw that Usagi was granting him one of her kindest smiles.

"If it will give you peace of mind, then I will allow you to. As long as everyone else agrees of course." The future queen looked at each of her friends and noticed how they all, at a higher or lower degree, gave their approval, even Haruka.

"All I want is to have Hime-chan back," the racer stated sourly.

"There's another thing we must consider," Setsuna pointed out, "I don't mean to question your intentions, Paul-san, but Raven had complete control over you once and there's a fair chance that he will try to recover it."

"If that happens, then you may take whatever means are necessary."

"_Which brings us to another factor_," Kashaku said in a dark voice, "_that this enterprise may surely conclude with the end of your existence_."

"I am not afraid of death," Paul retorted bravely.

"_I didn't say death, I said end of your existence_." This of course required further explanation. "_As you all know, the mortal body dies but the spirit goes on forever. That much is true, at least with those who are truly living_."

"What do you mean?" the Earth prince asked.

"_It all depends on the conditions under which Sir Paul is being held by the false warrior. Nonetheless I must warn you, it is your very essence that risks being destroyed. No ascension, no gate of judgement, no reincarnation, you become nothing. Do you understand what I am telling you?_" The undead man understood only too well, the very thought of this was enough to make him shiver openly. Not only him, but also everyone present.

"Did Carlos-kun know about this?" Minako asked with a shaky voice.

"_Every warrior is warned prior to being brought back_," Deimos answered, "_The majority don't listen, or do not care at all._"

"I will fight in your aid," the now pale martyr repeated firm and definitely, "no matter the consequence."

"Domo arigato, Paul-san," Setsuna said, "You can start by telling us what you know about Raven, so that we can figure out where he is now."

"I'm afraid that my knowledge is equal to yours, every member of the gang kept their distance from Poe." He rubbed his chin in deep thought for a while, then clapped his fist excitedly. "Except Kara!"

"Right then!" Haruka pounded on the table and stood up, "I'll go to the hospital. If Kara does know something, I'll make sure she tells us."

"Mina-chan and I will go with you," Usagi said, "You need someone to tell you which room she's in."

"Besides, someone has to keep you in check," the other longhaired blonde added, "You get more ants with chocolate than vinegar you know."

"Umm, hai. Let's get going then." The blonde trio left while the rest discussed other issues.

"While Usako and the others return, we better plan a new strategy," Mamoru suggested, "Setsuna-san, Ami-chan, I know it won't be easy, but could you two see how Carlos-kun's is doing?"

"_And could you please take me to the warrior's side?_" Kashaku requested.

"Hai, Kashaku-kun," the azure-haired girl replied as she picked up the bird, "In the meantime, Mamoru-kun, you better keep an eye on Carmen-chan. I'll bet that sooner or later she'll try to check on her brother."

"What did you say!?" Paul asked incredulously.

Carmen stood by the koi pond smoking a cigarette, she'd stolen the pack from one of the customers earlier. She was honestly trying to quit, but with everything that was going on, her nerves were at the border of collapse and her nicotine dependence resurfaced.

"Why didn't that _pendejo_ just stay dead? If he was just going to give me this kind of grief, then I'd much rather had remained a junkie. These things are a lot easier to bear when your mind is gone."

"_I understand completely_," Phobos said from a nearby bough, "_If I had known all the trouble Deimos-chan was going to cause me throughout my whole childhood, I would've wished to be an only child._" The red-eyed bird sighed. "_Why wish for the irremediable? Our siblings were hatched, and we have no choice but to stand their stupidity_."

"Hatched?"

"_Gomen, I sometimes forget how mammals are born_." Phobos glimpsed towards the doorway and saw Paul approach. She flew down to the spiky-haired girl's shoulder, in order to better defend her. Carmen was also aware of the martyr's presence.

"What the _chingada_ do you want?"

"I couldn't believe it when I heard it, but it's true, you did survive."

"Yeah, I guess I did. Looks like you did a lousy job last year." Her emerald eyes took notice of the dark marks on Paul's face. "Are you trying to imitate my brother, _hijo de perra_?"

"No, it is rather my once leader who is the imitator. I was merely a guinea pig in his whole project, my life was taken and replaced with a mockery of it, for no more reason than a whim."

"Sort of like robbing a girl of her innocence because some creeps want to have fun, huh?" Paul was about to retort, but wisely decided to stay silent. "You didn't answer my question. What do you want?"

"Well I…" The undead man tugged on his dreadlocks. "I guess that I'm here to apologize for what happened to you and your family, for the tragedy I could, no, should have prevented." Arms crossed, Carmen turned to face the man who had been the protagonist of so many nightmares.

"Phobos, leave me alone please."

"_Miss Carmen, are you sure?_"

"Go." The female crow gave Paul a wary glance before taking off. The dark-haired girl took a deep breath and spoke. "Just like that, huh? 'Gee Carmen, it's too bad that you were raped, orphaned and maimed, all in one night. That you had to undergo endless hours of therapy and become a marihuana addict as a result. But you know what? I'm sorry, can you forgive me?' Did you really think it was going to be that easy!?"

"I didn't-"

"Well let me tell you one thing, mister," Carmen continued as she jabbed her finger into the man's ribs, "I became all the contrary to what you expected, I became strong, even stronger after Carlos came to see me. I overcame the experience and survived each nightmare. The process was painful but I ended up discovering many abilities I was never aware of." She took a minute to calm down and organize her thoughts. "I was upset when I saw you, enraged. But I don't hate you, that would mean I'm allowing that night to control me still. And even though I'm sorry for how your life turned out, I am never going to forgive you." Paul merely nodded and went back into the temple while the girl lit a second cigarette.

"I overheard what you were saying earlier," the undead man called out from the doorway, "You should know that your brother has managed to save many lives since his return, including yours." He entered without awaiting a reply. Carmen stood silently by the pond, her mind repeated the words she'd just said to Paul. She looked at the cigarette on her hand.

"I'm stronger than this," she said as she crushed it.

Juban Central Hospital:

Kara was lying on her bed wide-awake. She hadn't spoken a word since the senshi had freed her from the ice, as a matter of fact, it was likely that not a thought ran through her head at all.

There was a knock on the window, loud enough to be heard, but there was no reaction from the mocha-skinned woman. Sailor Moon, Venus and Uranus approached the bed cautiously.

"Kara-san," the Moon princess softly spoke, "Kara-san wake up, we need your help. We need you to tell us about Raven." Not even a stir.

"Hey, enough with the absent routine!" the wind senshi ordered as she snapped her fingers right on Kara's face, "I know you can hear us, so talk already!"

"Uranus!" Sailor Moon scolded, "If you're going to use that attitude, you shouldn't have come at all."

"I'm desperate, okay? I want to know where Hime-chan is, now!"

"I'm not going to say anything," Kara said suddenly, surprising them, "I don't care what he did to me, I'm not going to betray Allen." Venus was about to open her mouth but she continued. "Do the defenders of love and justice have something against loyalty?"

"Touché," the sand-blonde senshi muttered.

"Your loyalty is admirable," the love senshi admitted, "but dangerously blind. Are you aware of what Raven is planning to do to the world?"

"So? Why should I care if the one I love isn't with me?"

"Very well, what about your child?" Sailor Moon challenged. Kara was struck dumb, she hadn't taken her baby's welfare into consideration until now.

"Even if I did help you, what difference would it make? Allen grows stronger by the second, you'll never be able to stop him."

"Doing something makes a bigger difference than doing nothing," Uranus retorted, "If you want to be a wuss, fine by me. I knew this was a stupid idea the minute we got here." Kara closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Allen had establishments and projects all over the world, he could be at any one of them." The blondes sighed in defeat. "However, lately, he and Hawkins talked about the South American rain-forest. It's the best clue I can give you."

"And it might be just the one that saves us," Sailor Moon beamed, "Domo arigato, Kara-san." One by one the senshi leapt out the window.

"Sailor Moon," Kara called from the bed.

"Hai?"

"I know it's asking for too much, but, if the only way to stop Allen is to… Please do it mercifully." The Moon princess thought her answer over carefully.

"I'll try to do more than that, Kara-san, but I won't guarantee anything. Remember, his destiny is the choice of someone else." She left before the dark-haired woman could say anything else.

__

I was also going to ask you, to tell the boy that I'm sorry, she thought as she finally fell asleep.

Hikawa Shrine:

It didn't take long for Ami to figure out their exact destination. The senshi got ready to leave at a moment's notice, as soon as a few loose ends were taken care of.

"The group is short by one," Mamoru noted, "so all of us have to go if we want a chance against Raven. But we can't just forget about Carlos-kun. It would be too much of a shock for Hino-sama to see him. And Carmen-chan…"

"Please, lets not bring that up again!" Carmen said exasperatedly as she crossed her arms, "Look, I'll admit that I'm impetuous, but I'm not stupid, I know when to follow orders. (sigh) I'll take care of Rei's grandpa, after all, I just have wait for him to wake up. And I promise to stay away from Carlos until he's recovered."

"That's good to hear," Usagi commented, "And you won't be alone either. Luna-chan and Artemis-kun won't be able to transform for a while, but they'll be able to help a lot more than you'll expect."

"_Don't forget about us_," Deimos reminded, "_I'm unable to change, but onee-chan is. And she_-"

"_I'm going with the senshi_," the red-eyed crow interrupted.

"_Nani?_" Deimos was quite surprised to hear her sister say that. "_But why?_"

"_A bird's eye view will be more useful to Princess Mars and the others where they're going, here I'll just add up to the useless bulk_."

"I'll try not to take that comment personally," Artemis muttered.

"Phobos-chan, are you sure about this?" Rei asked as the female bird flew up to her shoulder.

"_Hai._"

"Okay," the raven-haired girl sighed, "Mars crisis power, make up!"

The nine senshi and Tuxedo Kamen stepped outside, where Paul was waiting.

"Are we leaving?" the martyr asked, "And how is it we're going to get there?"

"Teleportation," Venus answered, "Just stand in the center while the rest of us form a circle." He did as he was told, but couldn't hold down a small gulp.

"It's not that I don't trust you, but… I'll remind you that I wasn't conscious when Poe did this. To be honest, I'm nervous"

"Just close your eyes and clear your mind," Mercury told him.

They gave Carmen a few more warnings and advice as the dark-haired girl watched them hover a little and vanish. Once they were gone, she went back inside to do something useful. Deimos stood at the foot of the stairs feeling miserable. Luna went over and rubbed against the bird, trying to cheer her up.

"_Onee-chan and I have had our differences, just like all brothers and sisters_," the blue-eyed crow said in a melancholic tone, "_But never a fight as bad as this one_."

"Be patient, Deimos-chan," the black cat replied softly, "I know that Phobos-chan will dispel her anger if you give her some time."

"_Hai._" Deimos took a deep breath and stretched her wings. "_I better tend to the warrior, I may only be a provisional guardian but I have to be my best at it._"

"Good luck with Kashaku-san," Luna told her avian friend as she hopped up the steps. Deimos' blue eyes widened in surprise. "I'm still young enough to act like Mina or Usagi-chan now and then." The crow shook her head and flew lazily into the temple. Luna was about to follow when she suddenly sprinted towards the bushes.

"What were you looking for over there, Luna-chan?" Artemis asked when she returned after a while.

"I saw something out of the corner of my eye, it looked like red hair," she commented as she walked beside him, "But when I got there I saw no one…strange." The white cat stepped forward cautiously.

"Do you think we're being spied?"

"Ie, it didn't feel like a threat. Actually," Luna's voice sounded quite serene, "it feels more as if someone's watching upon us."

"I hope you're right, honey, 'cause we need all the help we can get."


	24. Death and Rebirth 24

****

Death and Rebirth

****

Chapter twenty-four:

The border between Brazil and Venezuela:

The moment they set foot on the ground, Sailor Moon wiped her forehead and huffed.

"Why do our enemies always go to places with such extreme temperatures?" the princess complained, "At least Rio's a stone-throw away."

"Later, Usako. Mercury, where should we go from here?"

"For starters, let's head south," the water senshi answered as she checked on her computer, "Allen Poe once purchased a large area of the rainforest, supposedly, for philanthropic purposes. But now we know that he had more selfish motives."

"Hai," Jupiter agreed, "and the kami knows what those motives are."

"Actually," Mercury continued, "I've come to a conclusion of what he's using these lands for."

"Which is?" Uranus asked.

"I'd, umm, rather wait and see before telling you."

The trek was rather uneventful, except for a bit of an altercate Phobos had with an annoying harpy eagle. And Paul had to wrestle a jaguar into submission.

"Despite the source of these new abilities," the undead man commented, "I am very tempted to keeping them for the greater good."

"Listen to the voice of experience," Neptune replied, "you want no power from such creatures."

"I know, it was stupid to even consider it. I just wanted to make some small talk to make our journey more pleasant." The truth was that the group felt quite tense, and Paul knew that he was the source of said tension. The sooner Raven was defeated, and the sooner a way was found to place him where he belonged, the better.

"CAW!"

Phobos had been scouting ahead and now she was diving for Sailor Mars' shoulder.

"Did you find anything?" the fire senshi asked.

"_Possibly the world's largest fence,_" the dark bird replied, "_Follow me! You have to see it to believe it!_"

Sure enough, after walking a few more miles, the senshi came up to an exaggeratedly long chain link fence.

"It's electrified," Jupiter noticed, "I can sense it. Not only that, but the field extends several miles above."

"I guess leaping is out of the question then," Sailor Moon said, "and blowing it up will surely activate an alarm. We'll have to search the perimeter for a gate."

"That might take too long, your highness," Phobos observed as she took her human guise, "The fence is much too long to find an entrance."

"I guess we have no choice then," the future queen sighed, "Mars."

"Fire soul bird!" The winged flame melted away a large gap in the barrier. "There, now let's get going before Raven finds out we're here."

The heroes advanced, ready for anything, drones, robots, zombies or a megalomaniac lich. The panorama had turned from lush to barren, imagine going from the Amazon to Arizona in a few steps.

"What was that oni trying to accomplish?" Jupiter wondered, "A world record for deforestation?"

"Destroying the world is a more likely answer," Pluto answered, "The loss of an area this size of the rainforest will alter weather patterns at a global scale."

"All in the name of greed," Tuxedo Kamen commented sourly, "and it is not just Raven's doing."

They were walking alongside a cliff when a stench reached them.

"Whatever's going to attack us," Neptune said as she pinched her nose, "I hope it's not the thing that reeks that way."

"Hold it," Venus spoke up and stopped everyone, "I recognize that smell."

"So do I," Paul added, "wait here." He and the blonde senshi went ahead and spied from the top of a ledge. They signaled for the rest to come, slowly. When the whole group gathered, they saw something that was both fascinating and frightening, the drones' hive.

"Mars," Sailor Moon said, "before you complain about how much I whine, I want to state the following: I do not want to go down there."

"And the rest of us are very eager," Pluto mocked, "Paul-san, do you think your voice is still registered to control them?"

"I'm afraid these drones are wild, no sort of control at all. The minute they detect us, is the minute we die."

"Hai," Mercury agreed with a tone of admiration, "Just look at how they're organized, straight lines, and no gaps. We're at the documentary of a giant ant colony."

"Why would Raven come here?" the Moon princess asked.

"I believe he's starting to form his doomsday army," the Earth prince responded, "But our present worry is how to get through those beasts."

"Didn't you listen to what Paul and I mentioned?" the water senshi scolded mildly, "If they haven't been programmed yet, their intelligence is no greater than that of an ordinary insect." She tapped on her computer. "Jupiter, Mars, Uranus, strike at precisely those spots."

"World shaking!"

"Burning mandala!"

"Sparkling wide pressure!"

The result was exactly the one Mercury expected, chaos. Just like when a child kicks an anthill, the drones had no idea what to do or how to react. The senshi wasted no time and leapt down to continue their attack, even Phobos, who held a feather-shaped rapier. Another point in their favor was the fact that all the drones were the brown-colored skeletons. The enhancements were surely made at Hawkins' lab.

"Kudos Mercury!" the love senshi cheered, "We're going to take care of these bugs in no time!"

"And once were done, the oni-kabuki's next," Uranus said as she sliced one in half, "When I get my-Nani?" She disappeared into a dark portal.

"Uranus!" Neptune exclaimed as she too vanished along with Pluto.

"What happened to them?" Venus yelled.

"Poe found us!" Paul replied as he threw a drone over his shoulder, "But we have to overcome this obstacle before we can go look for them." If they're still alive.

The outer senshi reappeared underground, surrounded by four tunnels.

"Please tell me we're not inside the hive," Pluto moaned as she gripped her staff.

"Any sign of the others?" the wind senshi asked.

"Ie," Neptune answered, "and I think it has something to do with these signs." Three of the thresholds had the symbol of Saturn on top, the fourth read: 'Coward's way out'. "Raven must think he's so hilarious."

"Which one of these paths do you think is the real one?" Uranus wondered.

"It could be any one of them," the long-haired senshi answered, "We have no choice but to split up, and with Hime-chan's life at stake, I'm taking the chance."

"It's settled then," the ocean senshi said as she readied her mirror, "Keep in touch, if we don't find anything in thirty minutes we return to this point."

"Hai," Uranus agreed. She kissed her aqua-haired princess and wished he friend good luck. Each of the outer senshi went down a tunnel, which obviously led to traps. But as Sailor Pluto had stated earlier, their Hotaru was a girl well worth the risk.

Outside, Tuxedo Kamen, the inner senshi and Paul had dispatched all of the insects.

"I never thought we'd have a battle more gruesome than Seiryu," Jupiter muttered through heavy breaths. She tried to get some goo out of her wavy hair as she checked on her friends. "Everyone okay?"

"Grossed out," the fire senshi answered, "but otherwise fine. How are you doing, Phobos-chan?"

"Okay I guess," the red-clad girl said as she approached, "Gomen, I couldn't help any of you much."

"There's no need to apologize," Mercury assured her, "we know you're not used to fighting. Yet, there's something that bothers me, we didn't fight that many drones."

"You mean you wanted more!?" Sailor Moon exclaimed.

"No reinforcements came out of the hive," the azure-haired senshi continued, "colonies and swarms consist of thousands, and we only fought a few hundreds."

"Which means something or someone was keeping them at bay," Paul realized, "and that someone could only be…" The undead martyr turned towards a large boulder and felt his blood boil.

"Who were you expecting, Maya the bee?" Raven quipped as he jumped down, "Well, well, well. Paul, it seems that you managed to recover your free will. Not only that, you've allied yourself with the senshi. Still trying to be the hero, huh?"

"I don't know what my efforts mean to anyone else, in fact, I don't care," Paul retorted, "All I want is a clear conscience, and you destroyed!"

"Lovely thoughts, too bad nobody believes them." The warlock clapped and rubbed his hands, "Right then, who wants to go first?"

"Now I know why you chose drones for your army," the future king guessed, "You identify yourself with them, all of you are nothing but sorry parasites." Raven's eyebrow twitched at that comment and Sailor Moon noticed.

"That's right! You're too worthless to do anything for yourself, all you can do is steal from other people's efforts."

"SILENCE!!" Raven fired a wave of dark energy at the senshi. They all tried to hold their ground but were blasted several feet away. "I am no longer a pathetic mortal! And once I obtain the knowledge I need, godhood will be mine!"

"Like hell we're going to let ya," the fire senshi challenged, "Mars flame sniper!"

"Venus love and beauty shock!" Both magical attacks made a tremendous impact. "Is it me, or did we actually seem to hurt him?"

"He's probably tired from teleporting all the way here," Tuxedo Kamen guessed, "if that is true, then we have a better chance to beat him."

"Wishful thinking," the warlock retorted, "Even if I do tire it will take so much more to defeat me-What the!?"

"For example, your excessive pride." Paul had sneaked up from behind and locked his former leader with a wrestling hold. "This is the end for you, monster."

"Please, I suppose that now you're going to tell the senshi to go ahead and destroy me, that whatever happens to you doesn't matter."

"All of which is true."

"Hmph! What say you princess? Will you accept a willing sacrifice?" Sailor Moon had stepped up to the dark pair with her power tier ready. She knew what had to be done, but she also knew that she would not bear the remorse of Paul's death. "Tell you what, I'll make the choice easy for you."

"Nani? What do you mean?"

"If you don't make up your mind and attack by the time I count to three, Paul dies." All of the senshi were appalled by this announcement.

"I hope that the messenger that carries you drags you all the way," Phobos growled.

"He's dead anyway," Raven mocked, "One, two, thr-!!?" Paul used a suplex on Raven, and while the false crow was stunned, he was thrown in front of the future queen.

"Sailor Moon, now or never!" her prince yelled.

"Silver moon crystal power kiss!" Raven turned his head to face the grand attack directly. His inert body fell, and both Paul and Sailor Moon approached the smoking carcass. "Phobos-chan, we need you to tell us how to recover the soul-pearls." The undead martyr watched as his former leader rapidly decomposed, then his face became a mixture of terror and realization.

"Decoy…" He looked up. "PRINCESS!"

Neptune glanced at the watch in her communicator, the thirty minutes were almost up and she hadn't found anything.

"At least I haven't run into anything either," she muttered, "I hope Uranus and Pluto are doing as well." Suddenly she heard a noise, the tunnel she was in jointed with another and something was approaching. The aqua-haired senshi edged to the wall, linked her hands and raised them over her head. As soon as that something peeked through, she let them down with all her might.

"Easy girl! I'm on your side, remember?"

"Pluto!" The time senshi had caught her friend's blow easily. "I thought you were one of the bugs."

"I've got a better complexion," the ruby-eyed senshi mock-complained. She looked further down the tunnel. "Looks like two of us were meant to end up at the same spot."

"Hai, and whatever Uranus is going to face she will do so alone. We should head back and-" No sooner she said this, the place started shaking!

"Neptune, out of the way!" Both friends leapt forward as the tunnels collapsed behind them, the only route left was the one ahead. "That insufferable baka. Let's go on, maybe our luck will change and we'll find Hime-chan."

They continued down the dark corridor, and as they advanced, a damp and acrid odor became more and more evident.

"There it is," the ocean senshi announced, "through that opening is where the path ends, and I can tell a very large chamber's there." She took a deep breath, "Plus, it's not empty." They got to the door and scanned the room before entering, the first thing they saw was this giant, gray, moist, pulsating mass.

"Please tell me that is not what I think it is," Pluto groaned, "I'm going back and digging the way out myself, a hundred cave-ins are better than-Watch it!!"

"Nani!?" Neptune was pushed away just as a claw was about to cleave through her. She tumbled down as Pluto stayed to fight two drones. The ocean senshi got up slowly, she was at the feet of an enormous, black-colored drone, acidic drool dripped from its oversized fangs. It's more than obvious what sort of drone this was. "Heh, heh, konnichiwa I'm your new sitter. You are having trouble with that last batch of larvae, ne?" The queen chirped and Neptune was surrounded. "Uranus is definitely having an easier time. Submarine reflection!"

A few moments ago, Uranus had made it to a large empty chamber. Unlike the tunnel, the floor here was flat and even. The shorthaired senshi walked cautiously, ready for anything, but she wasn't ready for what was about to unfold.

"Hime-chan!!" Sailor Saturn was standing there in the middle of the place. The chances of some sort of gladiator drone (Uranus figured this out because of how the place looked) were quite high. But that didn't matter, she just wanted to be with her little princess. The silent senshi turned, her eyes were deadly cold.

"Silence glaive surprise!" Uranus was barely able to sidestep away from the blast.

"Saturn, what the hell's the matter with you!?" The sand-blonde got no response other than a roar and a fierce attack. The pale girl slammed the Silence glaive on the ground then followed with a sideways slice that the Star sword was barely able to block. "Chikuso, that bastard hypnotized you." Uranus leapt back and took a firm stance, her visage switched from confused to determined in an instant. "If you thought I was going to cower before Saturn, Raven, you don't know who Sailor Uranus is." She raised her hand. _This is going to hurt me more than it does you, Hime-chan._ "World Shaking!" All that Saturn had to do was slice the attack, the amber-colored halves dissolved into the ether. "If I'm not careful I **will** get hurt more," the wind senshi grumbled nervously, "Space sword blaster!" This time, Saturn's resistance was to simply raise her hand.

"Is this it?" the amethyst-eyed senshi asked in a very cruel tone, "This is all the power you obtained for selling your soul, TRAITOR!?"

"Nani? Saturn, what are you talking about!?" Uranus' confusion almost kept her from parrying the next wave of attacks. They kept on fencing when Saturn froze all of sudden, she just stood there like a statue.

"I suppose you're wondering what's going on."

"Raven!" the wind senshi roared.

"Don't bother attacking, this is simply an illusion, a recording if you will." Raven's image walked up to Saturn and put its hand over her shoulder. "When this girl fell on my hands, I immediately thought about taking her soul, she does posses great power. But as I was about to, I discovered something I could make much better use of."

"Get to the bloody point already," Uranus demanded.

"Do you remember your fight against Galaxia?" the sand-blonde was taken aback by this question. "I glimpsed into Saturn's memory and saw the strategy you used against your foe, to make a long story short, I forged her feelings of betrayal into something I could use."

"Hime-chan, he's manipulating your thoughts! You knew it was a ruse, you realized it right away. Fight him!"

"It's not her mind I'm using," the image corrected, "I said, her feelings." Now Uranus was more puzzled. "A parent is supposed to provide for and protect his children, just as you were supposed to protect Hotaru from all harm. True or false, the moment she heard that proposal from the lips of her dear Haruka-papa, she felt the bitterest betrayal." Uranus wasn't able to reply. "It's true that she realized your plan, but the dark feeling remained." The image raised an eyebrow. "If she hadn't kept it inside, then it wouldn't have festered through the years. How ironic, your little princess was afraid of hurting your feelings, and ended up hating you." The wind senshi's eyes overflowed with tears.

"Monster!! How can you do this to a child?"

"Me? Am I the one who used those golden bracelets to take away her crystal?" The image crossed its arms. "Killing your daughter for more power, I must admit my admiration."

"THAT'S A LIE!!" Uranus exploded, "Hotaru! I didn't mean to hurt you! But you knew that I had to do it to protect the princess!"

"Protect me?" The wind senshi was shocked further, now she stood before an image of Sailor Moon. "Am I supposed to trust you with my life when family means nothing to you?"

"Ie…that isn't…"

"Is your desire to be recognized as the most dutiful senshi so great?" Now Neptune was speaking. "How soon before you consider sacrificing me?" Her image was replaced by the sailor animates.

"You didn't want to protect Sailor Moon, you just wanted more power. You're no better than us."

"You're worse," Iron Mouse added with an accusing finger, "What sort of monster destroys her own child?"

"SHUT UP!!" Uranus yelled with her voice cracking up, "It's not true, it's not, it…it…" Her tears flowed like an avalanche, destroying her willpower. "…it is." She looked up, the illusions were gone and Saturn started moving again. The shorthaired senshi tried to raise her sword but her shaky hands dropped it. Sailor Saturn attacked.

"Nani?" Paul tackled Sailor Moon away with all of his strength and received the lethal blow meant for her. "Paul-san!!" She sprinted towards him but the real Raven appeared in her path with a dark flash.

"I knew you're not one to be underestimated, Paul, so I took precautions." The martyr watched as his hands became transparent. "Frankly, I'm disappointed, I expected more from you. Alas."

"I should have known," Paul muttered as he faded away, "that I wouldn't be able to beat you. One cannot claim what is not his, just as evil deeds do not remain unpunished." Raven raised an eyebrow.

"What's this? You're actually grinning?"

"I wasn't the one meant to defeat you, and I knew that I wouldn't escape my own punishment." The subtle smile remained on his lips. "Neither can you escape your doom," were his last words before disappearing completely.

"Only the dumb allow themselves to be reached by destiny, and I am not the one here." The undead warlock looked around and noticed that he'd become surrounded by the inner senshi, Tuxedo Kamen and Phobos. The anger they irradiated was palpable, even from Sailor Moon. "Are you ready for the real thing?"

"Oni," the blonde princess growled, "Paul-san truly wanted to redeem himself, he deserved better than that."

"This is for everyone you fooled and used," Jupiter said as electricity gathered around her, "Paul, Kara, even Chris and Blaze, you are going to pay dearly!"

"Paul-san was right," the love senshi continued, "you can't run forever. And even if we don't beat you now, we're going to make you wish we had."

"Defeat? Heh, I can see now why you're so easy to vanquish, negative thoughts." His dark aura appeared. "I always know what I want and do my best to get it." The energy gathered in his hand. "Like now for example." Raven fired.

"KYAAA!!"

"Sailor Moon!" Before anyone could react, Raven shot upwards dragging their leader along with him. His evil hold made her skin burn painfully.

"Don't worry highness, you won't suffer long." The black-haired man dropped her unceremoniously, Tuxedo Kamen was there to catch his wife in time.

"Usako, say something!" But there was no response, Sailor Moon wasn't there. "You!!" He let his princess down then stood up again. "Tuxedo bomb!" Raven was pushed back by the golden blast, but was otherwise undamaged.

"I'm surprised, I thought that you could only throw flowers. Doesn't matter." The warlock made a greater display of power. "Now that I have the princess' soul I…I…" Something was wrong, Raven started shaking as he flashed uncontrollably.

"What's the matter with him?" Venus asked.

"Light vs. dark," Mercury realized, "Sailor Moon's pearl is too pure and powerful! She's destroying him from inside!" The water senshi's words were confirmed by the way the warlock's features twisted with pain. There was only one thing to do.

"Blast it!!" With tremendous strain, Raven expelled the princess' pearl out of his chest. Phobos leapt up as quickly as she could and caught it in her hands.

"Thank Princess Coronis, I still remember how to handle these things."

"Raven's down, let's give him all we've got!" Venus commanded, taking her role as senshi leader, "Senshi planet attack!" The false crow barely managed to raise a shield with his remaining power. "Give up, oni! You have nothing left at your disposal!"

"I have one thing left."

Pluto and Neptune had dispatched several drones, but a greater number remained.

"Thank goodness the queen can't reach that far," the aqua-haired senshi said, "otherwise we'd be frappe by now."

"Maybe not," the mocha-skinned senshi replied, "if my knowledge is correct, we'll be taken alive into storage. Death scream!" She looked up at the black drone. "Of course, I reckon her majesty needs nutrients right away."

"You're a riot." Suddenly, the drones ceased their attack and looked around frantically. Neptune also felt something dark and powerful approaching. "Who could it be? Raven?"

"Ie, this presence is violent and sad, but not evil. It's also familiar."

That's when the ground erupted and Saturn came flying out of the crater. She was about to reach the roof when the drone queen grabbed her. Even though the sizes were inverted, the silent senshi glared upon it as if it were some insignificant creature. She aimed the Silence glaive and fired a violet beam. Not only was the queen beheaded, the egg-sack was also blasted open. Sailor Saturn released herself from the claw and continued upwards, not bothering to acknowledge the two outers.

"Hime-chan!" Pluto called out, "Something's wrong, that's not the Hotaru we know."

"Hai, Raven did something to her." Neptune looked around, with the queen destroyed, the rest of the drones had become apathetic. "Now what, do we follow or do we find out where she came from?"

"I'll go up and you go down, and don't ease up on your guard. Raven's got a nasty habit for surprise, so be ready for anything." With that warning, they each went their own way, but Neptune would not be ready.

It was easy for Phobos to place Sailor Moon's soul back into her body, although there seemed to be no improvement.

"The ginzuishou will help her highness recover," the red-clad girl said, "but it will take several hours."

"That's good enough," Tuxedo Kamen replied, "Take care of her while I go help the senshi." The inners had Raven at the ropes, all of his energy went into defense as he received blow after blow. The Earth prince joined the femme group and summoned the power of his golden crystal.

"A few more and we win!" Jupiter shouted, "Sparkling wide-"

"Saturn shockwave!"

The sonic blast blew them in all directions. Mercury was the first to look up and immediately regretted it. Weapon at front, Saturn landed next to Raven and helped him rise.

"You've only won a round," the warlock chuckled tiredly, "you'll see that you have suffered great losses. Enjoy the breather, for when I return, both your loss and my gain, will be absolute." Both of them disappeared as the time senshi came into view.

"Pluto!" Sailor Venus ran up to meet her. "Thank the kami you're alright. Where are Neptune and Uranus?"

"They're down below, safe now that the drones have no guide." The emerald-haired senshi looked at the spot where her daughter and enemy had vanished. "I don't know how I should feel. My Hime-chan is alive but…" The love senshi put a hand on her shoulder.

"I know Pluto, I know. Mercury, turn on your computer, we've got to find the others."

"Hai." The shorthaired senshi activated her visor and got yet another unpleasant surprise. "Ie!"

"What now?" Mars asked.

"Uranus' vital signs are dangerously low! She needs medical attention immediately!"

"Nani?" Pluto looked over Mercury's shoulder. "Is she far from here?"

"Ie, we just have to follow the trail left by Saturn."

"Get going then. Jupiter, Mars accompany her," Venus ordered. She looked at Sailor Moon in her delicate condition then thought about Carlos and Carmen back at Tokyo, and all the people that had been sacrificed when the tower was destroyed. "'Losses', how can he refer to the death of so many people so heartlessly?"


	25. Death and Rebirth 25

****

Death and Rebirth

****

Chapter twenty-five

A hospital in Brazil:

"Molto obligadho," Ami said to a doctor.

"What did he say?" Rei asked, when she and the other inners had found Uranus, a shocking spectacle greeted them. The wind senshi laid there so bruised and bloodied that she was hardly recognizable. Neptune was kneeling beside her, crying and begging for a sign of life.

"I won't repeat everything the doctor told me," the short-haired girl said gloomily, "Had we taken a second more getting here, Haruka-kun would be a goner." She took a deep breath. "But the truth is…it might not make much of a difference."

"I just don't believe it! What in the world could have left her in such condition? And to make matters worse, we know nothing of Hotaru-chan." The shrine maiden bit her thumbnail and thought for a while. "We better head back to Japan and tell Kashaku-san about this, maybe he'll be able to come up with something."

"And have Setsuna-san check the time stream to see what she can find out," Ami suggested, "Let's get back to the others and tell them." But first they had to go to the waiting room and see how Michiru was doing. The aqua-haired woman sat there all alone, the sorrow and fear she felt filled the entire room.

"Michiru-san, we're going to the hotel now, do you want to come with us?" Rei asked as she placed her hand on her friend's shoulder. Michiru said nothing, she just glanced towards Ami's eyes. The younger girl tried but couldn't hide what she knew. "We can't leave you like this. Ami-chan, I'll stay with her, you get back to Usagi-tachi."

"Ie," the violinist said with a voice no higher than a whisper, "I want to be alone. I'll wait until Haruka comes out of surgery then be at her side for a while."

"Michiru-san, we can't leave you," the raven-haired girl insisted.

"But I want to, I need to be. If Haruka-" She couldn't say it. "I want it to be just the two of us, please." Rei sighed and gave her friend a quick hug.

"I'll come by to check on you. Let's go Ami-chan."

Despite the situation, the senshi registered into a rather luxurious hotel, they needed a room large enough for all of them. As they came up the elevator, Rei and Mercury discussed whether it had been a good idea to leave Michiru. Hospitals can be very hectic places, not the best thing for someone in her condition. Maybe they should have brought her along so she could have a moment of peace and quiet.

"RAVEN YOU SADISTIC SON OF A BITCH!!"

Then again.

Both inners rushed inside, they saw Makoto huffing furiously in front of a smashed TV set, the others had looks of horror in their eyes, and Setsuna, sitting on an armchair, had the worst.

"What happened here?" Ami asked.

"That baka Raven!" the tall brunette exploded, "He used this stupid spell to show us what Hotaru-chan did to Haruka-kun!" She stomped on the floor. "When I get my hands on him, I'm going to strangle him so hard, his neck will be the size of a toothpick!"

"Matte, you're going too fast," Rei protested, "What are you talking about? What did Hotaru-chan do?"

"Raven is using her through her anger," Mamoru answered. In a few words, and trying hard to maintain composure, he retold what they saw, the fight between Saturn and Uranus. "Raven deserves the worst."

"My goodness." Ami walked up to the couch and let herself fall. "Gomen, Setsuna-san, it's all my fault." Everyone except the aforementioned woman looked at the girl questioningly. "Remember the scanners? The cats and I found something inside Hotaru-chan, a dark cloud. We decided not to tell you until we were sure what it was. But then so many things started happening at once and I…" Tears began to flow from her azure eyes. "Gomen ne, Setsuna-san, I should have told you since the beginning."

"Ie, don't apologize Ami-chan, it is my own fault, not yours."

"Nani?" Setsuna raised her head slowly.

"The signs were there, but we chose to ignore them. The anger, the hostility, it was all so obvious but our only concern was our mission, protect the princess." The mocha-skinned woman collapsed. "I was the first one to be called mama. She considered me a mother, but did I treat her as a daughter? Ie! I only thought of her as a senshi, not a child!"

"Setsuna…" Usagi, who was lying on another couch, started beating herself mentally. If only I were stronger, they wouldn't have to worry so much about me and this never would've happened.

"Are you done bellyaching? Because we have a lot of work to do."

Everyone became startled and turned to the source of that dark voice, the corner where most shadows gathered. Slowly, the figure stepped into the light.

"Carlos-kun!" Minako sprinted towards her young friend but stopped cold the moment she came near. Karasu no shi looked stronger and more menacing than before, his eyes were blacker, he even seemed taller and older. "(gulp) You, umm, you look well." There was a tapping at the window and Makoto was the one to open it. In flew two crows, Kashaku perched himself on the warrior's shoulder, while Deimos landed in front of her sister and changed form.

"Deimos-chan!" Phobos was about to embrace her twin but recalled her anger. "I see you're back to your old self," the red-eyed girl commented sourly.

"Onee-chan."

"It's so great to see all of you!" Rei beamed as she embraced both twins, "All that's missing to make this a perfect moment is-" There was a knock on the door. "Of course." The long-haired girl opened, and sure enough, there stood Carmen with Luna and Artemis in her arms.

"I can't fly nor do whatever it is that jackass did," the emerald-eyed girl said, "but there's no way I'm staying out of the loop."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Rei replied as she hugged the younger girl tightly. For the first time in ages, she felt hopeful. "Come on, there's so much you need to know."

Karasu heard the whole story, his eyes became darker when they came to the part about Saturn, but no sound came out of his lips.

"_Did the impostor say anything important?_" Kashaku asked, "_Some clue as to his whereabouts?_"

"Ie," Mamoru answered, "all he left us was a threat."

"I managed to find out something."

"Usako?" The blonde girl sat up with difficulty.

"While I was inside him, I had access to some of his thoughts. They were too chaotic, but I recall one in particular. Something about a library."

"A library?" Makoto asked incredulously, "Raven wants to look something up?"

"It makes sense," Ami observed, "it was through research that he learned about the crow in the first place." The azure-haired girl started thinking. "The oldest libraries in the world are in Europe, we should start by-"

"It's not in this world," Karasu interrupted, "I know exactly where the _pendejo_ is going."

"You do?" the white cat asked.

"While I searched the tower ruins, I found some old scrolls of Raven's, one of them mentioned the library he wants to go to."

"That place holds all knowledge," Kashaku continued, "from this and every world. The imposter will surely look for knowledge of how to use his stolen power."

"That's all very interesting," Luna said, "But the important thing is: Where is that library?" The undead warrior's only response was to point downwards. "You've got to be kidding."

"I'm not, and that's exactly where I'm heading."

"Umm, Carlos, bro." Carmen approached nervously. "You know all those fights we used to have, where I would get angry and tell you to go to hell? That was only a figure of speech!"

"And I'm dead serious," the dark-eyed boy retorted. He strode towards the window. "Raven is holding Hotaru, and until she's safe, all of Hades should be afraid of me."

"Carlos-san," the future king murmured worriedly. Everyone looked at the pale teen with fear in their hearts. Had the damage been too traumatic? Was the last vestige of Carlos' humanity burned away along with his old flesh?

"So, any volunteers?" Karasu asked lightheartedly, all the fear he emanated vanished at once, "I can't do this on my own you know." Sighs of relief, and even a few giggles were heard.

"With Guardian Kashaku's help, onee-chan and I can take you to the underworld physically," Deimos explained, "but only up to five people."

"And we're bringing Lady Saturn on the return trip," Phobos reminded.

"I'm going," Setsuna announced as she arose, "I'm going down there and will recover my Hime-chan no matter what."

"I'm coming along," the shrine maiden said, "If you're going into the netherworld, you better take along someone with my know-how."

"Me too," Usagi said. She tried to get up but fell again exhausted. "Ie, I'm still too weak."

"Good," Makoto quipped, "otherwise we'd have to chain you down. I'll go, the rest of you stay here and beef up defenses, we can't leave this realm unprotected."

"Then let's get started," Ami announced, "Mercury crisis power."

"Venus crisis power." "Mars crisis power. "Jupiter crisis power. "Pluto crisis power."

"MAKE UP!"

The volunteers were given a thousand and one warnings. Carmen hugged her brother as if she were unwilling to let go.

"Bring back Hotaru and come back in one piece," the spiky-haired girl ordered as she kissed him on the cheek.

"I'll be back before you know it, Carmela." They were ready; Deimos and Phobos stood side by side, Kashaku on the former's shoulder. Slowly, the twins raised their arms and a dark portal appeared. The senshi felt nervous, even frightened, but it was time to resolve this situation once and for all. Pluto, Jupiter, Mars and Karasu followed the Coronis-born trio through the portal. The rest watched as it closed.

"Come on Mercury," Venus said, "we have to let Michiru know about this." He water senshi nodded and followed the second in command. Mamoru and the cats went towards the odango-headed girl.

"They have a lot of strength on their side," Luna said, referring to Karasu and the others, "I'm sure they'll succeed."

"You bet your furry ass they will." Everyone turned towards Carmen, who winked at them. "Let me tell you something about the Navarros, once we get an idea into our heads, nothing can stop us.

Somewhere not on this earth:

The moment the heroes stepped inside, everything became dark. Moments later, blurry images appeared, like awakening into a surrealistic reality. The view before them was a depressive wasteland. Sailor Jupiter knelt and examined the soil, it was gray and completely barren, nothing would grow there.

"Is this…" the thunder senshi started asking, "you know where?"

"Ie," Phobos answered, "it is a place in between, one that my people know well." She pointed upwards and everyone looked up, far above heads they could see tiny black dots going back and forth.

"Other guardians," Karasu guessed.

"Messengers actually," Deimos corrected, "this is where we have to go through when we take souls from one realm to the other. And speaking of which." The blue-clad girl looked around. "Where is Guardian Kashaku?" Until she mentioned it, no one had noticed the crow's absence, or rather, apparent one.

What they found was a dark bundle, it rose and they discovered it was a tall, elder man. He looked like a Norse warrior, except that he was well groomed, his hair and trimmed beard were fully white, but his body showed no sign of weakness, and what seemed to be a fur cape was actually composed of feathers.

"Considering the perils we will face, this form shall be of much better use to us."

"Kashaku-san?" Mars questioned with a gasp.

"You look good," the undead warrior said with a chuckle, "I was wondering when you would do as the twins." He turned towards them and noticed that Deimos did not dare look up.

"Are you feeling well, Lady Deimos?" the guardian asked as he approached her.

"Huh? Ie!" she yelped as she turned away, "I mean, hai, I'm alright I just-" The dark-haired girl shook her head frantically. "We're wasting time, we have to find Princess Saturn!"

"I agree," Pluto spoke, "your new guise surprised us, Kashaku-san, but we better recover and get to work."

"Correct, Lady Pluto." Kashaku stepped away a bit and scanned the scenery. "I've never seen this place from this point of view, it will take some time for me to figure out which direction to follow."

"Take all the time you need," Jupiter suggested, "we can't afford any mistakes. And what about you guys?" she asked the twins, "Can't you tell us where to go?"

"We haven't been here in ages, Princess Jupiter," the red-eyed twin responded, "Deimos-chan and I have a vague remembrance, but that is all."

"You want to hear something funny?" Karasu asked, "I also feel like I've been here before."

"Of course you do, Warrior," Deimos said, "You went into the realm of the dead and returned, it's rare, but everyone with a condition similar to yours has these memories."

"Everyone who died and came back?" the dark-eyed teen wondered.

"Not exactly," Kashaku began explaining, "Your sister had a near-death experience, but never set foot here, and those who reincarnate have this place erased from their minds." He glanced briefly towards the senshi. "But according to the battles you described, you five should remember."

"Actually…" The time-senshi bit her finger and shivered as she recalled the battle with Galaxia. She carried no ill-will against Michiru, and she was going to let her know as soon as she was back on Earth. "We have no memory of this place at all."

"It think it has to do with…" Mars' voice was barely audible. "Our crystals remained intact during the fight against Galaxia, and the same must've been true during Beryl's."

"What are you saying?" the tall brunette asked.

"That we never did die, we have nothing in common with Karasu no shi." No one knew what to say.

"Aha!" Kashaku exclaimed as he snapped his fingers, "I know where we must go, but I warn you, it will be a long walk."

"Then we're on our way!" Karasu no shi announced as he checked Seventh sin's edge, "For Hotaru!"

They had walked during what seemed an eternity, and still they weren't halfway to their destination. And the scenery didn't change either, always a gray, dull plain, with only a two-peaked mountain in the distance. The senshi chatted in order to distract themselves. They used every topic, movies, music, anecdotes, wedding plans, etc. Eventually, Deimos grew tired and decided to go and ask Kashaku how much further they would have to walk, but she had only taken a few steps when the ground began to shake. Phobos rushed forward and caught her sister.

"In the name of Coronis, what was that!?"

"Probably a quarrel down below," the guardian answered.

"Nani?" Pluto looked down, "What is down below?"

"The place you know as hell."

"_Qué!?_" Karasu gripped his katana tighter. "Just how far below is this place?"

"Not to worry, the stone layer is thin but very resistant." Kashaku stomped hard a few times to stress his point. "Nothing can break it." But as soon as he finished saying this, the floor shook even more violently, then it cracked and caved in. Karasu got to his feet the moment they hit bottom and immediately got ready to fight, for before them stood a 15 foot tall demon. The monster had yellow pus covered skin and crooked fangs, coated in grayish green tartar. Further features are too nauseating to mention.

"Fire soul bird!" Mars' attack caused great pain but not much damage. The demon tried to drive its claws through the fire senshi, but she evaded the lethal blow just in time. Deimos jumped onto its arm and drove her rapier into its wrist, Phobos too slashed the hand open.

"Keep away from Princess Mars!!" they threatened unfazed.

"Jupiter oak evolution!" "Death scream!" The sharp leaves made the demon reel back and the purple orb blew the air out of it. Karasu and Kashaku took the opportunity to attack simultaneously, the older man was armed with an enormous, feather-shaped bastard sword. Together they made two cleaves on the monster's chest. It staggered a little and fell, the heroes took a moment to catch their breath.

"Kashaku-kun, didn't you say that nothing could break that rock?" Jupiter scolded.

"That's how it is supposed to be," he replied, "and that specie is not particularly powerful. I don't understand."

"I have an answer," Phobos said, "look up." Her enhanced sight caught some details at the hole's border. "The stone was sliced, and we all know how that was accomplished."

"With the Silence glaive," the emerald-haired senshi guessed, "The opening must've sealed, but remained weak. We should thank Raven for being too stupid to cover his tracks."

"I'll tell him when I stick my katana down his throat," the dark-haired teen growled.

The bearded man indicated their destination and they started walking again. Once more, the trek was quite long and tiring, but at least now they had more to do than just walk. The heroes had to cross over chasms, climb down cliffs, beware bottomless pits and avoid sharp rocks. They saw a few creatures now and then, but didn't have to fight any. Suddenly, Karasu told everyone to stop.

"What is it?" Jupiter asked.

"I heard something, and it wasn't an animal." He looked around. "Chingada, I'm picking up too many signals to make sense out of them!"

"Like wise, it could be Raven trying to muddle us," the fire senshi observed, "which may turn out to be a good sign-Phobos-chan, look out!!"

"Nani!?" the red-eyed girl spun and saw a giant boulder about to crush her. She was stunned, fortunately, Kashaku wasn't. He pushed her away and held her as the boulder rolled by.

"Are you hurt, Lady Phobos?"

"Ie, arigato, Guardian Kashaku." The dark-haired girl spruced herself and noticed that her sister was glaring fiercely.

"Che! I knew you were mad, but I didn't expect you to be so infantile."

"Nani? You're not suggesting that I'm-"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, my fault!"

The group turned and saw an orange-skinned demon with one horn coming down a slope.

"What's the big idea, baka?" the brunette senshi growled.

"Look I'm really sorry for what happened," the demon continued apologizing as he moved the boulder, "I really thought I had it at the top this time-" He caught a glimpse of Karasu. "Blow me down! You're a crow, ain't ya?"

"_Sí,_" the warrior answered as the demon paced around him.

"Ha! It's rare to see you guys down here. What did you do, blow up a church?"

"We happen to be here on our own free will," Mars said in a rather annoyed tone, "Just butt out and go back to whatever it is you're doing."

"Fine," the orange one huffed as he began pushing the boulder, "Your friends went in that direction, by the way."

"Nani?" Pluto gasped, "What do you mean our friends?"

"Yeah, a few hours ago I saw a guy dressed in black and a girl with the same uniform as you." The group looked to where the demon had indicated.

"_Gracias!_" Karasu shouted as he and the rest hurried away, only Jupiter took a minute.

"Let me ask you something. If the boulder keeps rolling away each time, why do you even bother?"

"I had a choice, either this or reality shows."

"A wise decision."

Karasu and Sailor Pluto were at the lead, running as fast as they could.

"Thank the kami we ran into that oni," the time senshi commented, "we would've missed Hime-chan completely."

"Hai," Mars agreed, "ever since you came back, Karasu, we keep running into good luck." She giggled joyfully. "I can't wait to see Hotaru-chan again."

"MATTE!" Jupiter called out. Everyone came to a screeching halt, the thunder senshi smacked her forehead. "We completely forgot, Raven's still controlling Saturn."

"And she will attack us no doubt," Deimos concluded. Everyone's hopes dropped like a stone.

"Don't worry, I already thought about that," the undead warrior said in a confident tone, "My powers affect emotions, all I have to do is touch Saturn to break Raven's spell."

"If you manage to reach her," Kashaku countered, "Lady Saturn is likely to put up a fight, a deadly one."

"Which forces us to come up with plan B," Deimos seconded. It didn't take her long to come up with something though. "Of course!" She changed to crow form. "Wait here, I'll be back as soon as I can," she promised as she bolted away.

"Matte Deimos-chan!" Phobos was about to set off on her sister's pursuit, who was miles away already, when a blinding light surrounded them. Not only was their sight gone, but their consciousness as well.

"Hmm, uh…" Pluto awoke with a terrible headache. "Is everyone all right?" Her sight cleared and she noticed that her friends weren't there. The mocha-skinned senshi looked around and discovered that she was in the middle of a white void. "Jupiter, Mars," she called out as she started walking, "Can anyone hear me?" She stopped when she realized that her breathing was starting to accelerate. "Sailor Pluto, calm down. What's wrong with you?" She took a deep breath and searched, ground and ceiling were completely alike, no horizon at all, there was absolute silence and even the air had no smell. "Somebody answer me!" She began to shiver and could do nothing to control it. "PLEASE!! Anyone say something, don't leave me here!" Before Pluto knew it, and unpleasant and familiar sensation overcame her and she began to panic. She ran as fast as she could, no change so she turned and headed elsewhere. She kept this up until she tripped and fell. Her ruby-eyes filled up with tears as she assumed fetal position. "Please," she sobbed, "don't leave me alone."

Mars also awoke alone, only she did so in familiar territory.

"The Hikawa shrine? How did I get back home?" The long-haired girl entered cautiously, ready for anything. As she approached the door, a familiar looking shadow appeared. Her first reaction was to ready an attack, but then she saw who it was. "Okousan?"

"Hai, Rei, it's me," the mustached man said. Mars' heart was overflowed with various emotions, until one rose above the rest, happiness. She ran up to embrace her father, whom she'd been trying to contact for so long. He shoved her away like a plague.

"Nani!? What's wrong?"

"I just came here to give you a message," his voice was cold and cruel, "Stop hounding me. There's a reason I left you here, all you're good for is getting in the way. I'm much too busy to look after such a self-centered child. Why should I think differently now?" The fire senshi's eyes went wide in shock and confusion.

"Nani? You're lying! You can't possibly mean that!"

"Watch me." The man walked down the stairs and past her, Mars tried to stop him but was painfully backhanded. As she knelt there on the steps, rubbing her reddened cheek, the sound of footsteps approached. The raven-haired senshi looked up and saw her grandfather.

"Don't even bother, you're welcome here no more." He didn't grant a moment for response. "I've put up with you for long enough. I don't see why you should stay here just because you are my grandchild, and as maiden you can be easily replaced." Mars was too appalled to say anything, her legs went numb as she watched her grandfather enter the temple.

"Matte! This is wrong! Why are you all doing this?" She slipped as she got up and tumbled down the stairs onto the street. When she raised her head, she was greeted by a rapier against her throat.

"You stay away from us."

"Ie, Phobos-chan, Deimos-chan, not you too!"

"Hai," the blue one growled, "Phobos and Deimos, the ones you took away from their home, and for what reason?"

"Did you ever stop to think who we were forced to leave?" Phobos continued with her eyes growing redder, "Our, friends, our family?" She pressed the tip of her weapon against Mars' skin.

"Perhaps if your personality were a little different, 'princess'," Deimos mocked, "Mamoru wouldn't have left you for Usagi. But let's face the facts, no one can stand being near you." The twins turned and walked into the crowd that was forming.

"Ie!" Mars tried to follow then but was pushed away by some strange force emanated from a man she came close to. Not just him, everyone she came near to had this sort of force field around. She knelt and recited a mantra. "This makes no sense, my friends don't act like that, I'm not even in the right place. I need to think, find some sense in all this chaos." Mars tried to concentrate but the repelling blows continued, and her fear began to grow.

Sailor Jupiter and Kashaku were lucky enough to be together, maybe that way they would find their companions sooner.

"What sort of place have we been sent to?" the bearded man wondered as he scanned the many seats, giant window and fluorescent lighting.

"An airport," the tall senshi answered, "Do you think Raven detected us and used a teleporting spell."

"Probably not, if this were a port of any kind, it would be crowded, this place is utterly deserted."

"Then it's an illusion?" Jupiter guessed. She pondered for a moment then snapped her fingers. "Of course, what a buffoon!" She laughed and a puzzled Kashaku stared at her. "Crows use fear as a weapon, ne?"

"Yes, they do. Is that a clue of some sort?"

"Hai! This is all some cockamamie plan made by that oni kabuki." The thunder senshi explained, "My parents died in a plane crash, as everyone knows, since then I've had a slight fear towards aircrafts, and logically, airports disturb me." She spun and shouted out loud, "Is this the best you can do? Did you really expect me to be down on my knees whimpering?" Jupiter found this situation so ridiculous, she couldn't help laughing.

"Umm, Lady Jupiter," Kashaku edged back and tapped on her shoulder.

"Hai, what is it?" she asked as she wiped her eyes. They went wide when she saw the nose of a jumbo jet rapidly approaching the window. "I take it back."

"Phobos, Phobos wake up," the dark-haired teen ordered as he shook the dark-haired girl.

"Warrior Karasu?" She got up with a start. "Deimos-chan, Princess Mars! Where are they?"

"I think your sister managed to escape. Whatever her plan, she had it just in time," Karasu observed, "As for the rest, I can only assume they were taken away."

"We have to look for them," Phobos said with an agitated voice, "But where do we go? Do we follow the same direction?"

"Well…" They heard voices and a weird sound. The pair climbed down the side of the mountain, Karasu casting his Silent shadow. Once they reached the valley, they saw three gray demons playing catch with something.

"Do you think they're friendly?" Phobos asked.

"Not very, they're playing with a corpse." The red-clad girl first gulped then gasped.

"Ie, that can't be!" she ran towards the demonic trio.

"Phobos wait! Chingada chamaca!"

One of the demons made a curve toss and raised its sight.

"I think I'm seeing double, look who's coming." The remaining two ceased playing as they looked up also. Phobos slowed down and came to a stop, her whole body exhaled terror.

"What are you three doing? Who-who is that?"

"I think it's somebody you've been looking for," another demon said unemotionally, "Here, have closer look." It tossed the corpse towards Phobos. As it passed over her head, she managed to see that the figure was female. Not only that, it was someone she knew.

"Deimos-chan?" Her limbs felt like lead all of a sudden. "DEIMOS!!" Phobos threw herself towards her twin's inert body. The blue-eyed girl was all bruised and bloodied, it was obvious that her death had been extremely painful. "Deimos-chan," a laugh of madness arising came out of her lips, "Deimos-chan, you can stop now, I know you like to make pranks. This is another one, ne? Any moment now you're going to surprise me." But this was real, horribly real. Fear had become sadness, sadness had become pain, then madness and finally rage. "You…you…MONSTERS!!" With a bestial roar, Phobos gripped her rapier and charged, ready to behead all three demons with one blow. The one who was closest easily grabbed her arm and whipped her against the ground. Awful pain burned through her body.

"What are you blaming us for? It's not our fault she was alone. Where were you when we found her?"

"Nani?" Phobos gasped.

"That's right, where were you?" the gray-skinned demon repeated coldly, "You're her sister, aren't you supposed to look after her?-ARRGH!" Its hand was severed and when the demon turned to see, it received a kick in the face and was sent back several yards.

"You blame others for your own crimes?" Karasu shouted, "I'm going to remind you how this place got its name." The undead warrior leapt and landed in the middle of them. The trio attacked simultaneously but Karasu was able to block, evade and retort each blow, it was quite easy for him to gain the upper hand.

"Check the kid out, my brothers," one of the demons said as he wiped its lip, "a thoroughbred fighter. Hey! He's even starting to show his true nature."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Karasu demanded, "_Qué!?_" He glimpsed and noticed that his fingernails were growing, in fact, his whole hand was out of shape.

"A claw," another demon pointed out, "Crows are part demonic, you know. Actually, they are since they're alive. How else would you be able to become a zombie?"

"No, it's Raven who's doing this, I smell his handiwork."

"Oh, but did Raven give you your anger?" the third one questioned, "Nope, that was already in you." The warrior tried to throw and uppercut but was stopped by the pain of his jaw transforming. "There, you see? You're the one who's choosing to act like this," it stepped closer, "a demon."

"A monster."

"A destroyer. So let's get it through your thick skull." They started pounding him. Karasu fought back of course, but each violent move he made resulted in a new freakish feature, he could feel it. Just like the rest, he was being assaulted by his greatest fear.

And Phobos, she could have helped his friend, but instead chose to stay by her sister.

"Why did I leave you onee-chan?" she asked as she caressed her cold cheek, "Why are you leaving me?"

Kashaku and Jupiter had received quite a fright, but where unharmed and inside the plane.

"This guy has one creepy sense of surrealism," the thunder senshi grumbled, "Are you okay, Kashaku-kun?" His trembling was answer enough. "Is the claustrophobia getting too bad?" she asked with concern.

"It hasn't taken control of me yet, Lady Jupiter," the older man answered, "but I'd rather exit this craft as soon as possible."

"Hai." Jupiter could stand being inside a plane, but not surrounded by corpses. Illusion or not, not one of the passengers had survived. "Do you think you'll be able to fight if need be?"

"I think so. Why do you ask?"

"(sigh) Because Raven is so pathetically predictable." All of the bodies got up and attacked. The narrow space however aided the heroes, the zombies got in each other's way, and while Kashaku was not at his best, all he needed to do was swing his sword in wide arcs.

"Their number is likely to tire us if this battle continues. Lady Jupiter, do you think the use of your powers will be too dangerous?"

"We won't leave unharmed if use electricity," the brunette replied, "but it's our best shot at surviving this battle." She gathered her energy, "Supreme-(gasp)!!"

"Lady Jupiter, what!?-" That lapse of distraction allowed a zombie to grab Kashaku and throw him aside. Caught on the floor between the seats worsened his condition and his adversaries piled up on him. Despite all this, the guardian tried to see beyond, to where Jupiter was. He managed to see her back away slowly as two zombies approached.

"Okousan, Otousan?" The walking corpses said nothing, they just moaned menacingly. "It's a lie, Jupiter! Don't you dare believe it!!" she commanded herself, "It's the same trick he used against Uranus!!" She felt something behind her and turned, there she saw a totally different sort of zombie, a brunette infant with a ponytail.

"Wasn't it enough with their death that you had to kill me too?"

"Nani? I…I don't understand." The childlike Makoto frowned.

"You had to be so damn independent. Why didn't you accept having guardians? Then I, your childhood, would have lived longer."

"Lies, LIES!!" the thunder senshi insisted.

"If this wasn't real, you wouldn't need to reject it like so. Your own violence indicates how much you do believe this." Jupiter clutched her head and repeated the same words over and over, how all of this was fake. But there was one bit of truth, Jupiter did always resent having to grow up alone, and it was more than enough for Raven to manipulate.

Meanwhile, more and more zombies held Kashaku down. The sight of Sailor Jupiter being helpless and him being able to do nothing, triggered a memory buried deep inside.

__

If this continues, he thought, the warrior, the senshi, all shall be doomed…… But only if we allow it! He took a deep breath and ceased struggling, anyone would've thought that Kashaku was giving up, but he had learned. Jupiter had shown him that they could not fight this individually and directly, a new approach was needed. "_WARRIOR!!_"

"_QUÉ!?_"

The telepathic message jolted Karasu, who now looked totally inhuman, "Kashaku?"

"_Listen carefully, Warrior. Lady Jupiter discovered our foe's plot, he's using our fears against us._"

"I see," he now stood firm against the demons' blows, "that means Raven is nearby. But how do we get to him?"

"_That I can't help you with_," Kashaku's voice was fading, "_I've reached my limit, you must find the answer alone_."

"Kashaku?" No answer. His adversaries kept striking and each wound hurt intensely, but now he was focused. _Raven's a fake, but he's still a crow, and defenses or not he has my weaknesses…Of course_.

"Demon and destroyer!" a demon continued mocking. It linked its fists and brought them down at full force upon the undead teen's back, Karasu caught them by the wrists.

"And _pinche_ proud of it!" he claimed with a fanged smirk. He swung the demon and batted the other two away. Did Karasu suffer further change? He didn't care, he just rushed over to were Phobos knelt.

"Huh!?" The red-eyed girl was startled when pale claws grabbed hold of her head.

"_Perdón_, but this will hurt me worse than it does you."

She didn't understand how, but Pluto felt her anguish disappear completely. The emerald-haired senshi raised her head and saw her friends, Jupiter and Mars, with equal looks of confusion. Yonder, she found Kashaku and Phobos aiding Karasu to his feet.

"Would somebody mind explaining what the hell happened?"

"Easy," Karasu chuckled weakly, "I realized Raven was connected to us in order to send those nightmares, and I remembered what happened the other night with Jupiter."

"Psychic backfire," Phobos guessed, "You tried to hurt me with your powers and most of the punishment was directed to him!"

"Right, and now Raven's down." The undead warrior took a deep breath as he finished recovering, "Let's go!"

It only took them a few more steps to finally reach their goal, and object of their collective loathing. Raven was on the floor, cringing with pain, Saturn stood by him impassively, both stood in front a cave

"Hime-chan!!" Pluto would've run towards her death if Jupiter hadn't taken hold of her. This gesture however did alert the warlock.

"You are as cunning as the bird you are named after, even if you only accomplishment was merely annoying me."

"Sure it was," Karasu mocked, "Let go of Saturn," he commanded with his hellish voice.

"I was already planning to leave her to you while I made my research." Raven took something out of his pocket and threw it at the heroes, drone eggs, black ones this time. "My new creation, demon drones. Have fun." He entered the cave and Saturn finally moved and took a battle stance.

"We'll take care of the bugs," Mars shouted, "Karasu, you get Saturn."

"_Sí!_ Good luck!" The warrior slashed through two drones and made a beeline for his beloved. "Saturn, wake up!" He was about to put his hand on her when she flickered and changed to Hotaru, all bruised and with a bloody gash on her side. "No-GAAH!" Karasu was swatted away with the back of the Silence Glaive. He cursed himself for his stupidity. "Carlos, _pendejo_, you are one slow learner." He tried again several times but the once dark messiah's defense was too strong and he was instinctively holding back. Breathing heavily, Karasu got up and tried a new tactic. "How come you're not attacking, you purple-eyed witch?"

"Huh?" Saturn gripped her weapon tighter.

"That's right, I'm talking to you. Or should I add chicken to freakish." It was working, Saturn was getting angrier by the moment. "Come on you goth scarecrow, give me one right here!"

"YAAH!" The amethyst-eyed senshi attacked with a frightful roar. Karasu avoided the glaive and reached for her face, but received a kick on his chin instead. And if that wasn't enough, Saturn used her weapon to spin and deliver a second double kick.

"(moan) It seemed like a good idea." The warrior looked up and saw that Saturn stood still, gathering her energy. The others had finished off the drones and came over, they stopped cold when they saw what the pale senshi was doing.

"_I've found what I need_." Everyone heard Raven's mental voice, "_Saturn, make sure no one else comes_."

"You mad fool!" Kashaku yelled, "Do you know what will happen if she does that here?"

"_I've prepared myself, carry on, Saturn_." Energy crackled around the silent senshi.

"Wait a minute, wait a minute!" Karasu rushed to his feet, "Don't tell me she's going to use-"

"Death…"

"Saturn, stop this!!" Jupiter and Mars charged but were blasted away by the force field.

"…rebirth…"

"Death scream!" The time senshi's attack was dissolved. Kashaku and Phobos also tried and failed. Saturn raised the Silence Glaive above her head.

"Revolution!"

"IE!" "NO!"

"Hotaru-chan."

The blade stopped and inch away from the ground when Saturn heard that oh so gentle voice. Everyone else turned also, they saw a woman standing there, kind smile and shoulder-length black hair. Who was she? Warily, Karasu inspected more thoroughly, he gasped when he noticed her eyes.

"Is that-?"

"Momma?" The weapon fell from Saturn's hands and a veil was lifted from her eyes. She ran and embraced the ghost of her mother, so happy that she couldn't hold back the tears. "Momma, I was so scared! Oh, I was in such an awful place!"

"Hush, it was all just a nightmare, Hotaru-chan, we're with you now," Keiko assured.

"Tomoe-san," Mars whispered, "but how?" she looked over her shoulder and saw Deimos standing there with a triumphant grin.

"I knew Tomoe-sama would do it, no one else could free Princess Saturn with only a word." Shaking her head, Phobos chuckled and ran up to embrace her sister.

"Deimos-chan, I really must learn to listen to you." She squeezed her tighter. "Gomen, onee-chan."

Karasu watched the tender scene before him, his love looked so happy he dared not interrupt. Then he felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up! Fast as lightning, he spun and darted, grabbing Raven's wrist just as he was about to take the Silence Glaive.

"For a moment I thought you'd forgotten about me."

"Believe me, I'd love to." The undead warrior threw a punch, the warlock caught it. The latter then tried to twist the former's arms but Karasu spun with the move and delivered a kick to his opponent's crown. Enraged, Raven grabbed Karasu's head and slammed him on the floor.

Saturn became aware of the battle, she stood firm in front of her mother and cast her Silence wall. The rest of the senshi got closer, looking for an opening to strike at. Noticing his disadvantage, Raven decided to flee for now. He created a dark energy orb and blasted Karasu away with a hit to the stomach.

"Sparkling wide pressure!" "Mars flame sniper!" "Chronos typhoon!"

The false crow was barely able to avoid these attacks with back-flips, grabbing Saturn's weapon at the last one.

"I'll be waiting for you, Karasu no shi, be there or else." He vanished with a sadistic sneer. In the meantime, Saturn helped Karasu to his feet.

"My love, are you all right?"

"Funny," he answered with a chortle, "I was about to ask you the same thing." The violet-haired senshi gave a small laugh and they kissed briefly, then she turned towards her mother.

"Momma, I…"

"I know," the amethyst-eyed woman said sadly, "I too wish that we would be granted more time together, but you have a duty to perform and I am simply not allowed to stay." They hugged each other once again. Pluto walked up cautiously and bowed deeply. "Domo arigato, Setsuna-san, I couldn't have chosen better parents myself."

"Perhaps," the emerald-haired senshi replied, "but it was rather Hime-chan who chose."

"We must return to the higher level," Kashaku interrupted, "Only there can we create the portal, and we must leave now if the imposter is to be kept from his ambition."

"Hai," Mars responded, "Tomoe-san?"

"I can find my way back," she assured them with a warm smile, "Hurry, and take care." One by one, the heroes marched, Karasu and Saturn were last in line. "Navarro-san."

"_Sí?_"

"They're proud of you, they always were, don't you ever doubt that." He didn't know how to answer, finally he bowed and left. Sighing Keiko prayed for the safety of the young lovers as she faded away.

As soon as they were back in the plain, the former messengers opened the portal and the heroes entered. The silent senshi surveyed the place one last time.

__

The two-peaked mountain, she thought. _In such a vast place, what were the odds of seeing it again?_


	26. Death and Rebirth 26

****

Death and Rebirth

Chapter twenty-six

Unconsciousness gave Haruka no rest, she was continuously plagued by punishing nightmares. Awake, she only had to endure physical pain, but her condition didn't allow her to remain like so for long.

Suddenly, the pain began to ebb and the short-haired woman felt her health returning. Her feelings of guilt were replaced by those of peace and redemption. When she was able to open her eyes, a heartwarming sight greeted her.

"Hime-chan?" Haruka asked weakly. Hotaru's violet glow faded and a warm smile appeared on her lips. "Hime-chan!!" She sat up and hugged her daughter tightly. "Gomen ne, Hotaru, I never meant to-"

"Ie, it's my fault, Haruka-papa," the pale girl sobbed, "I never should've kept quiet, but I was too afraid of hurting you."

"Hush now, it's all in the past." Haruka raised her sight and saw Michiru at the doorway. The aqua-haired violinist rushed to her love and gave her a second embrace, showering her with kisses. The lovers caressed each other a short while, until Michiru noticed how their little princess was leaving.

"Hime-chan? Where are you going?" The pale girl chuckled.

"Both of you have recovered your loved one," she said, "Now I must go and ensure the safety of mine."

Karasu no shi raced towards Raven as fast as he could; the villain was practically a beacon. Kashaku, back in his avian form, swooped down and flew at his level.

"_I don't think I ever read about a threat of this magnitude, not in all the research I've made_."

"I know that Raven broke several rules with what he did. But are the consequences really that serious?"

"_Not because of the transgression, but because the Silence Glaive is in his possession._"

"Explain," the dark-eyed warrior requested as they kept on running.

"_What abilities does Lady Saturn have? On her own and with her talisman._"

"Umm, her shield, her illusions and her healing power. And the glaive enables her use offensive techniques."

"_Precisely, her own power creates, the weapon destroys. The death rebirth revolution consists of the Silence Glaive releasing all of its energy, destroying a planet_."

"And once that happens, Saturn drains herself to stop the destruction and heal the planet enough so it may live again." He made a grim pause, "dying in the process." They had finally made it to the drone hive's entrance. "Raven's no creator, if he uses the glaive the Earth will not recover."

"_Worse, with creation off the scale, destruction will not stop. We may be facing the end of the entire galaxy_."

"And I'm the one who has to stop it," Karasu huffed, "As if the pressure wasn't enough already." They both stood in front of the ravine, trying to come up with a plan. The senshi appeared behind them.

"Any sign of Raven?" Sailor Venus asked. The answer came in the form of a gigantic tremor. The heroes were thrown off their feet as the earth cracked and shifted. From the bottom of the canyon, dark stone rose and took form. When everything became still, Jupiter looked up and saw a mountain a few yards away. It was obviously an unnatural creation, for a stairway encircled it.

"Che, he's still a show off."

"And he's waiting at the top," Uranus added, "Let's get that creep." She sprinted and bumped against an invisible surface. "Ouch!" The wind senshi rubbed her nose. "What is this?"

"A force field no doubt," Ami deduced, "and quite strong, it's going to take a lot to bring it down."

"Probably not," the undead warrior said as he stepped forward and went right through the barrier, "Raven wants this to be one-on-one."

"You're not going to play his game, are you!?" Saturn protested.

"One way or another, it'll come down to that," he gritted his teeth, "it's meant to be." The silent senshi simply placed a hand against the force field and looked into his opaque eyes, she summoned all of her courage.

"I'll be here, until your return," she said. Karasu smiled and ran towards the mountain, more determined than ever in his entire life.

The climb was extremely difficult, the steps became gradually steeper, and fierce winds tried to blow him away. When Karasu reached the summit Raven was there. The undead warlock sat there non-challantly, swinging the stolen glaive in a playful manner.

"It finally comes to this, the antagonists face each other in one final encounter, a battle where only one will come out alive." He grinned evilly. "Of course, in real life the good guy doesn't always win."

"Are you done, or is killing you the only way you'll shut up?"

"Ah, the defiance of youth." Raven jumped off the boulder he was on. "I'll make my offer anew, the chance for a true life, to grow up and grow old next to your beloved Hotaru. It is certainly better than to have her see your head impaled on her weapon."

Karasu responded with action, not words. He made a tremendous leap, bringing Seventh sin down against his foe. Raven blocked and pushed Karasu away, the undead warrior planted his feet and charged again, being blocked and repelled once more.

"Ebon shears!" Just like before, the black blades bounced harmlessly off Raven's body.

"I suggest you hold back a little, otherwise this encounter will be much too brief."

"You should know by now, I never hold back!" Karasu attacked with slashes and kicks, few of which actually managed to reach their target. Raven countered skillfully with the glaive, parrying the katana and forcing Karasu to back away bit by bit.

"You have grown stronger. But what for? There's nothing to gain."

"_Qué?_" Raven sneered and placed his hand against his opponent's stomach, dark energy exploded, throwing Karasu away. The undead warlock kept on throwing orbs, making the warrior reel back in agony. When the barrage ended, Karasu plummeted to his hands and knees.

"What can you gain with vengeance? Nothing at all. Your family is, and will remain dead, nothing will change that, no matter your efforts." Karasu looked at his enemy with an appalled gaze, then down again. Raven continued, "It was a foolish mission since the beginning, you let your anger control you and allowed yourself to become something inhuman, for nothing. And even if you could defeat me, nothing would change, nothing would be accomplished." Karasu dug his fingers into the ground in frustration. "A useless life, a useless quest and a useless effort, that's what your entire life comes down to." Raven watched with delight as the smaller fighter shook with each sob. He glimpsed at the glaive and tossed it away. "Too easy."

The warlock stepped towards opponent, ready to end him once and for all. He stopped when he was right in front of him, a perplexed look in his face. He couldn't hear it before because of the distance, Karasu no shi wasn't sobbing, he was chuckling.

"Heh, heh, heh…" As he stood up again, Karasu's laughter gained volume, until he threw his head back, cackling like a maniac. Raven went from confused to annoyed.

"What is so amusing?"

"Can't you tell?" the pale hero replied, "I'm laughing at you, at how stupid you are." Raven was taken aback, the tone in his opponent's voice indicated that this was more than a playful insult. "It's true what you say, my family won't come back, I can't change what happened to me and Carmela. But saying that I accomplished nothing, makes you the world's biggest fool." The laughing had stopped and now a solemn silence surrounded the mountain. "If I hadn't come back, Minako and her friend would've been raped and murdered, just like that woman in the alley and hundreds more out in the streets. Wily, Blaze and Chris would still be out there making people suffer, Kara would never have discovered what a creep you are, and chances are you were going to kill her unborn child, and Paul, he gave his all, which makes him victorious no matter the outcome. My sister, Carmela, she would still be a drug-addict, and Hotaru, the one that I love, she and Haruka would never have expelled their guilt." A dark wind began to howl. "Now I realize Rei's words, now I know why this happened to me! I can do nothing for my past, but I can do something about the future of others. That's why crows exist! So that no one else shares our fate!!" The opponents stood there in silence, facing each other.

"How heartwarming," Raven mocked, "But tell me, do you truly believe what you just said?" Karasu took a deep breath and lowered his gaze.

"No, I don't believe it… I KNOW IT!!" He leapt back and took a battle stance. "Ebon shears!" And again, Raven put up no defense.

"Have you no brains? You feeble power is nothing against-Huh!?" He felt a sting on his left cheek. Plus, shrouded by the black blades, Karasu had run up and landed a right hook against his foe. The force of the blow threw Raven back against the wall.

"What did you say about brains?" Karasu taunted. The black-haired villain wiped his lip and growled.

"A moment of carelessness that I won't repeat!" Raven gathered his energy and threw blast after blast. Moving faster than ever before, Karasu avoided every attack as he came closer and closer, and once he was in position, he gave Raven a fierce roundhouse-kick to his face. With a louder growl, the false crow jumped up and grappled his enemy. They struggled, trying to overpower each other by means of brute strength.

"You were careless enough already, _pendejo_, you revealed your weakness."

"What? Urgh!" Karasu tightened his grip, causing Raven's hands to crackle.

"I should've figured it out when you used those illusions back in hell, your power consists on lies." The dark-eyed teen spun and threw his opponent over the shoulder. "All you can do is lie! You make people believe they're weak and take advantage of them. You hide your true self behind an ornate picture, and the truth of it all is, you hide from your own weakness."

"Weak?" Raven's eyes gave out a dark glow. "I'll show you weak!!" He blasted Karasu away with an intense beam. When the boy fell, he jumped, grabbed him by the hair, black flames on his hands, and started pounding him against the rocky ground. "I am on the verge of godhood! I worked too hard for this, and I won't allow a scrawny brat like you take it away!" He said this as the merciless punishment continued.

"_You cannot win._"

"Huh?" Raven froze, in his mind he heard a ghostly, and somewhat familiar voice.

"_It is time to pay_." "_For all your crimes and sins_." "_You can hide no more_." "_You must now face your doom_."

"Enough!" Raven shouted, but the voices kept on haunting him. "What is this, some new trick you learned?"

"Heh, heh, this isn't my doing, Raven, it's your own." Karasu got up. "The ones you hear are your victims, every single person you destroyed throughout a life of greed. They were there all the time, calling out for you, for retribution. You managed to ignore them for long enough, and now…" Dark mist surrounded the undead warrior. "You will listen."

Raven watched as the mist grew thicker and thicker, faces, faces he knew took shape. Wind blew around Karasu, fanning his coat and hair. Slowly and with his eyes closed, he raised his arms sideways then moved them forward. The wind blew faster, thunderclaps were heard, and Karasu felt a new power surge throughout his body, a power not just his own.

"A THOUSAND SOULS CHOIR!!!"

Take a pause from this story if you will, and try to remember one person who you've purposely hurt. Imagine him or her walk up to you and scream into your ear how much pain you caused. And now, try to imagine every single one of them, screaming into your soul.

"YEARGH!!" Black specters were fired from Karasu's hands, each of them tore through Raven's entire being.

At the foot of the mountain, the senshi waited impatiently. Saturn hadn't moved from her original position, she stood there, looking at the path Karasu had taken, hoping.

"CAW!"

"It's down!" she shouted suddenly.

"Nani?" Pluto was the first, and even so she reacted too slowly, "Matte, Saturn! Chikuso!" They all ran after the silent senshi, but they didn't go very far when they saw something that chilled them to the bone.

"By the kami!" Sailor Moon gasped, "Is that?" They saw a dark figure falling down the side of the cliff, and were too far to tell who it was. When it reached rock bottom, with a gruesome bounce, the senshi sprinted towards it, and again they came to a screeching halt when a bright light appeared and a multicolored geyser burst out. The cloud that was formed hovered a while before dispersing in all directions, until there were only a few specs trailing behind.

"Those were soul-pearls," Tuxedo Kamen recognized, "and that is Raven."

"If that's Raven," Saturn's eyes brightened, "then that means-" She heard footsteps, the pale senshi spun and saw Karasu coming out of the shadows. He was bruised, he was bloodied…he had won.

"Let's go home," he simply said.

Juban central hospital:

Several doctors, Mizuno among them, were walking down the aisles. Most of the group consisted in visitors who'd come to appraise the work being done.

"And here we have a most puzzling case," the head doctor spoke, "We don't know how he got here nor how he came to such condition. The patient's age is so advanced that we can't determine it. He has no motor skills whatsoever, and his skin is so delicate that even intravenous nourishment is impossible. Despite all this, he still lives, even if vital signs are nearly imperceptive." One by one they looked through the window, Dr. Mizuno was the last. She saw a man so old and pale that he barely looked human, and just like her colleague had said, there was no life support, yet the monitor showed a heartbeat every now and then.

"Mizuno-san, we're moving on."

"Hai." Ami's mother took a final glimpse. Chills ran down her spine when she saw that black whirlpool over his left eye.

New Tokyo airport, evening:

"So, he's not dead after all?" Usagi asked. She and her friends had all gathered to say goodbye to Carmen, except for Makoto who was in Hokkaido with Shigeru, and Hotaru who was attending another parting.

"_I do believe death has been prohibited to him_," Kashaku answered, "_Raven broke far too many laws, and in an ironic twist of fate, was punished with what he sought, immortality_."

"Too cruel a sentence in my opinion," the blonde said grimly.

"_Justice can be cruel, your highness, but she is always fair. You posses the kindest spirit in existence, but even mercy must be moderated_." Usagi thought this over and finally nodded. Harsh as it was, it was a lesson that a future queen had to learn.

"I'm just happy it's over," Minako said, "And happier to know that Paul's pearl was among those that came out of Raven."

"Likewise," Carmen agreed, "It's a bit funny coming from me, but he deserves a second chance." The spiky-haired girl took a deep breath, "Speaking of which, Ami, how is Kara doing?"

"Quite well, and the baby grows healthy and strong inside her." The blue-eyed girl leaned back against a column. "Kara-san decided to give her child up for adoption, and enter a mental institution, she doesn't feel fit to face the real world or motherhood."

"A brave gesture," Mamoru praised, "I'm sure that she'll do well in life." The loudspeaker announced that the flight for Mexico City was now being boarded.

"This is it," Carmen sighed as she picked up her bag, "Say goodbye to Hotaru for me. And Kashaku." She held out her arm for the bird. "Please do the same for my brother."

"_I shall deliver the message post-haste._ Caw!" He opened his wings and took off.

"Caw!" Deimos, who'd been waiting at the roof, called when Kashaku flew by. The male crow made a U-turn and landed next to her.

"_Yes, Lady Deimos_."

"_Guardian Kashaku, before you leave I wanted to say, umm…_" The blue-eyed bird looked down and chose her next words carefully. "_Let the wind beneath you wings be strong, and the horizon before you be bright_." This was an old saying in Coronis, a wish for a safe and fruitful trip.

"_I thank you, milady. Perhaps in the nearby future, we shall meet again_." Deimos watched silently as Kashaku took off once more and was lost in the distance. Phobos landed next to her.

"_You just couldn't say it, huh Deimos-chan?_"

"_It would've complicated things. Besides, I doubt I ever gave a clear enough signal_."

"_Liar,_" the red-eyed crow teased, "_But hey, there is a chance of him coming back, perhaps by then…_" She thought it over. "_Ie, you'll still be too chicken._"

"_Hey!_" Deimos tried to peck at her twin, but she got away and fluttered around tauntingly. All the way back to the temple they played, as though they were children once more.

"_I'm grateful we're family, Deimos-chan_."

"_Likewise, onee-chan, likewise_."

Elsewhere in Tokyo, Carlos and Hotaru were alone together. They stood in the middle of a bridge over railroad tracks, sharing what she believed to be a final kiss, the very thought caused her to sob.

"Hotaru?"

"Gomen," the violet-haired girl said, "I just, I… Oh!" She turned away in embarrassment. "I'm acting like such a baka, I knew this was going to happen, ever since that moment under the balconies." Hotaru leaned on the guardrail. "I really should be happy for you, you will finally rest, you'll be reunited with your parents." She gave a sarcastic laugh. "So why can't I stop crying?"

"I am leaving, Hotaru," he said as he gently wiped the tears away from her amethyst eyes, "but not for the netherworld."

"Nani?" Sighing, Carlos stepped away and explained.

"As I came down the mountain I understood, there are many people like Raven, who have no scruples when it comes to their desires. And even more people like my family, with no defense against the evils of the world. How long until someone else suffers as much as I did, and this nightmare is repeated?" The dark-haired boy looked up at the star-filled sky, "I won't allow it, no matter the cost." He approached his beloved and put his hands on her shoulders. "And I also need to learn, truly know what I am. I don't want to hurt you, Hotaru, but this is something that I-" She silenced with her fingers on his lips.

"Waste no words, just say what truly matters." Carlos took hold of her sweet face and kissed her again. Hotaru closed her eyes and savored the moment.

"I love you Hotaru," he whispered.

"I love you Carlos," she whispered back. The pale girl opened her eyes and discovered that she was now alone on the bridge. Alone? No, from now on neither she nor Carlos would be alone. Sadness was gone, she pressed her hands against her breast and felt her heart underneath, which beat no more, but rather sang. "Hearts can only sing in pairs, Haruka-papa and Michiru-mama taught me so. No matter the distance, no matter the obstacles, the sound will lead us to each other. Always."

THE END

Final words:

When I started this story a year and a half ago, I thought I would never complete it. And I certainly didn't conceive people actually approving my work. To all my readers, I give thanks, for convincing me that this silly little hobby of mine is a talent worthwhile.

"Death and Rebirth" is done, but Carlos and Hotaru will go on, each starring in their own sequel.

"Condemnation", a comic book crossover. As Karasu no shi begins his journey for self-discovery, he encounters the one creature who may possibly have a faith worse than his, the Hellspawn.

"Heritage", a "Sailor Moon" fanfic. Sailor Saturn's first victory was the destruction of Pharaoh 90. Now, three years later, she must face the consequences of her actions.

And now, with ideas drained, sleepy eyes and aching fingertips, I bid you all, for the moment, adieu.

****

Twinsnake Coatl


End file.
